The Welsh Government are consulting on new measures to manage engine idling - the practice of leaving an engine running when a vehicle is not moving. This causes unnecessary noise and air pollution as well as wasting fuel. For example, outside schools children may be disproportionately exposed to vehicle emissions, and residents impacted by noise. They propose communications and behaviour change strategies to discourage idling, with penalities as a last resort. Currently a Fixed Penalty Notice of £20 can be issued to a driver who refuses to turn off their engine, it is proposed to provide local authorities with flexibility to determine a suitable penalty level to reflect local needs, in the range £50 to £100, bringing the penalty more in line with other environmental offences. The consultation is open until September 30th.
