Liberal Democrats call on Oldham Council to cut engine idling with new campaign.  

Liberal Democrat councillor Alicia Marland has written to Oldham Council pushing for a new campaign to combat engine idling outside Oldham’s schools. 

Councillor Marland, who represents Saddleworth West and Lees Ward, said, “Air pollution threatens our health and our environment.  The impacts of poor air affect our health from cradle to grave, with research showing that children, pregnant women and pensioners are among those most impacted.”

“Leaving your engine idle, even for 30 seconds, causes more pollution than turning it off and back on again.  This is a big problem at the school gate.”

Research conducted by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Select Committee has noted the association of air pollution with health implications such as complications in pregnancy, increased risk of respiratory infections in children, increased risk of cardio-vascular conditions, as well as increased rates of dementia and other neurodegenerative conditions. 

According to Transport Research Laboratory, an engine left idling for 30 seconds produces nearly twice as much pollution as switching off and then restarting an engine.  

Councillor Marland called on Oldham Council to follow other local authorities like Stockport and Sheffield and launch a campaign to combat engine idling at the school gate. 

Councillor Marland said, “The council should be doing more to tackle this problem.  This is our children’s health and wellbeing after all.  There are lots of ideas out there.  In Stockport, schools are given a banner to hang outside the school to raise awareness.  In Sheffield, signs are used alongside digital campaigning tools to get the message out.  Oldham Council should learn from what is working elsewhere and put it in place for our schools.” 

Councillor Marland writes to Oldham Councils Deputy Chief Executive and Director for Place – Emma Barton

23/08/24

Dear Ms Barton

You will be aware that many residents across Oldham Borough are concerned about air pollution and its impact on health and wellbeing.

Poor air quality has been classified as the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK according to the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and Public Health England.  The impacts of poor air affect our health from cradle to grave.  Research conducted by the DEFRA Select Committee has noted the association of air pollution with numerous health implications such as complications in pregnancy, increased risk of respiratory infections in children, increased risk of cardio-vascular conditions, as well as increased rates of dementia and other neurodegenerative conditions. 

One of the largest contributing factors to poor air quality is engine idling.  Research conducted by Transport Research Laboratory found that idling for 30 seconds produces nearly twice as much pollution as switching off and then restarting an engine.

Councils in the north of England are making progress in tackling engine idling.

In 2020, Stockport Council launched its ‘Turn it Off’ campaign urging parents and guardians to turn off their engines at school pick up and drop off times, providing schools with a free banner highlighting the campaign. 

Sheffield City Council’s ‘Air Aware’ campaign makes use of digital communications alongside signs at every school to encourage parents and guardians in the same way. 

I am writing to ask you to look into what can be done in Oldham to tackle air pollution and specifically to address the issue of engine idling in the proximity of our schools.  Attached is the copy of picture I took recently when out of the Borough – have we considered such signs and if not why not?

Please outline what steps Oldham Council will take and how we will seek to learn from and replicate best practice from across the country in order to achieve an effective anti-idling campaign.  

I look forward to your considered response.

Kind regards 

Councillor Alicia Marland

Transport Research Laboratory report
TRL | Idling Action Research – Review of Emissions Data

Sheffield City Council – ‘Air Aware’ campaign
Air Aware campaign | Sheffield City Council

Stockport Council – ‘Turn it Off’ campaign
‘Turn it Off’ anti-idling campaign relaunches for 2023 – Stockport Council