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Thousands of drivers facing £40 fines over everyday error thanks to little-known Highway Code rules
FIND out where you are most likely to be charged and about the notable loophole
THOUSANDS of drivers are facing £40 fines over an everyday error thanks to little-known Highway Code rules.
Increasingly tight restrictions on emissions have prompted a number of major cities to enforce the charges more vigorously.
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A selection of councils have implemented policies in regard to idling, with more on the way.
The practice, where drivers leave their engines running while stationary, is being clamped down on to "protect our environment".
Thanet Council in Kent has become the latest to enforce the rules based on a study suggesting that idling causes 20 times more pollution than travelling at 32mph in a diesel car.
Separate research for Ealing Council, which has brought in similar measures, estimated that the mistake could cost 3p per minute in fuel.
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On that basis, just 10 minutes idling per day would leave you £116 a year worse off.
Drivers in Thanet will now be fined £20 for idling, rising to £40 after 28 days.
That mirrors the policy of Brighton and Hove Council with a £40 fine reduced to £20 if paid within 10 days.
Other councils with similar rules and campaigns against idling include Sussex, Epsom and Ewell, Canterbury and North Ayrshire, as well as plenty of London boroughs.
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Ealing Councillor Peter Mason said: "Leaving car engines running unnecessarily pollutes the air we all breathe, adds to the climate crisis and causes asthma and other lung and heart conditions in both children and adults.
"Air pollution in our borough is avoidable and all it takes is switching off your engine when your car isn’t moving whenever you can.
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"It makes a huge difference to the air quality."
Local authorities are particularly emphasising education for parents, as school pick-up and drop-off times are seen as peak times for idling.
Enforcement is expected to be particularly prevalent in areas around schools and other high-traffic sites.
However, there is one notable exception - for EV drivers.
Electric cars are, obviously, classified as zero-emission vehicles as their tailpipes do not pump out harmful gases.
As such, EV drivers are not fined for idling as a perk of their eco-friendly motors.
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