Bedford Borough students say “Idling gets you nowhere”

In Bedford Borough, the Council have been working alongside communities to raise awareness about the dangers of idling vehicles, especially for those who it impacts most including children, older people and those with a respiratory condition.

Idling is when an engine is left running while the vehicle it belongs to remains stationary. It reduces air quality by releasing a variety of harmful gasses into the environment and is particularly prevalent during the colder seasons, especially around school pick up and drop off times.

Because idling releases harmful substances into the air, it has been linked to health complications such as reduced lung functionality, heart diseases and asthma and other respiratory conditions. Many people also aren't aware that the air inside an idling car can be twice as toxic as that outside of the vehicle.

Over the coming weeks, the Council will be out visiting primary schools alongside the Air Care Bear to talk to children and young people about the impacts of idling.

As part of the campaign, students from primary schools in the Borough were invited to design their own anti-idling posters. The winning posters, which came from Castle Newnham Primary School, Livingstone Primary School and Ravensden Primary School, have all been printed out and are being displayed in idling hotspots to encourage people to think twice about leaving their engines running.

Councillor Charles Royden, Portfolio Holder for Environment, said "The recent work we've been doing around reducing idling is an important part of improving air quality and ensuring positive health outcomes for local residents. We want to make sure people have the facts on idling so that they understand the impact it can have. For example, there's a popular misconception that turning off your engine consumes more fuel than leaving it running but in reality, if your vehicle is stationary for more than a few seconds, it's better to turn of the engine. If the range of health complications that can be caused by idling weren't enough to make you think twice, it's also bad for your vehicle and regular idling can cause problems with your engine and exhaust!"

To find out more about what the Council's doing to improve air quality in Bedford Borough, visit www.bedford.gov.uk/environmental-issues/noise-nuisances-and-pollution/air-quality/.