Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what enforcement measures are available to local authority officers to tackle vehicle idling in (a) Air Quality Management Areas and (b) non-Air Quality Management Areas; and whether the Government has plans to review those enforcement powers.

Under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty) (England) Regulations 2002, local authorities already have powers to enforce anti-idling laws and issue fixed penalty notices (FPNs) to drivers leaving engines running unnecessarily.

The enforcement powers available to tackle vehicle idling are available to all local authorities, regardless of whether or not they have an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA). It is vital that these powers are used to help deal with local air quality issues where necessary and there are no plans to review these powers.

Within AQMAs, designated local authorities also have powers to carry out roadside testing of vehicle emissions to reduce pollution from road traffic. They can do this where any part of the area is designated as an AQMA in accordance with the legislation. The local authority must apply to the Secretary of State for Transport to be a designated local authority.

Since these powers became available, vehicle technology has moved on significantly. Newer technologies can play a part in addressing idling emissions, such as stop-start technology and low- or -zero-emission vehicles.