Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the impact of car engine idling on the environment.

Engine idling can be a significant contributor to local emissions, particularly where there may be a number of idling vehicles such as outside schools. Exhaust emissions contain a range of air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter. These can affect the air quality of the surrounding environment and the air we breathe. That is why the law states that is an offence to idle your engine unnecessarily when stationary and Local Authorities have powers to issue Fixed Penalty Notices to drivers who do so.