Petrol and diesel drivers in Wales face sharply higher fines from Wednesday as the Welsh government introduces tougher penalties for leaving vehicle engines running while parked.
The new rules increase the penalty for unnecessary engine idling from £20 to between £75 and £150, as ministers seek to reduce air pollution around schools, hospitals, shops and other busy public areas.
The Welsh government said the tougher regime was intended to “reflect the serious harm that vehicle emissions cause to air quality and public health”.
The changes reinforce existing guidance in Rule 123 of the Highway Code, which states that drivers should not leave a parked vehicle unattended with its engine running.
Drivers are also advised not to leave engines running unnecessarily while vehicles are stationary on public roads. Where a vehicle is likely to remain stationary for more than a few minutes, the Highway Code recommends switching the engine off to reduce emissions and noise.
There are exceptions. Drivers can keep their engines running when stationary in traffic or while diagnosing mechanical faults.
Llyr Gruffydd, the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability, said the higher penalties formed part of efforts to tackle pollution and its impact on health.
“We’re taking bold action to clean up our air and cut pollution, protecting health and improving the places where we live,” he said.
“That’s why we’re increasing the fine range for anyone who leaves their engine running while parked.
“Idling engines pump out fumes that people breathe in, including children outside schools and vulnerable people outside healthcare settings.”
Gruffydd said motorists could avoid the penalties simply by switching their engines off, particularly outside schools, doctors’ surgeries and shops.
The policy was highlighted during a visit by the Plaid Cymru MS to Marshfield Primary School in Newport, where pupils have been involved in an anti-idling initiative with Newport Council.
Children designed a banner urging motorists to “be part of the solution, not the pollution”, featuring illustrations of pupils protesting against a vehicle producing fumes.
Professor Isabel Oliver, Chief Medical Officer for Wales, said reducing unnecessary engine idling should become a routine habit for motorists.
“Air pollution is a serious public health issue, contributing to a range of conditions including heart and lung disease,” she said.
“Children, older people and those with existing health conditions are particularly vulnerable to its effects.”
She added that while idling could appear insignificant, repeated exposure around schools, hospitals and other locations could contribute to higher levels of pollution.
“Every time an engine is switched off rather than left running, we reduce the amount of harmful pollution in the air we all breathe, particularly around schools, hospitals and other places where vulnerable people spend time.”
The new penalties mark a substantial increase in the financial consequences for drivers who leave engines running unnecessarily, putting greater emphasis on motorists to switch off while parked.
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