Unnecessary engine idling is an offence under Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act (1988).
If you're caught idling, you may receive a fixed penalty notice of £20. This is because engine idling is a significant source of air and noise pollution.
When you can idle
There are some exceptions when a driver is able to leave the engine running:
- the vehicle is stationary in traffic
- the engine needs to run to diagnose a fault
- machinery on-board requires power from the engine to refrigerate fresh goods
What we're doing
To combat unnecessary engine idling, we are carrying out an awareness raising campaign.
In high risk locations around the borough, we've installed:
- anti-idling signs
- anti-idling banners
We are also taking part in an anti-idling project, funded by the Mayor of London's Air Quality Fund.
Report engine idling
In most cases, the best way to stop someone from idling their engine is by speaking to the person directly. They may not know that they are causing a disturbance.
If this doesn't work, you can report the issue to us by:
- sending an email to our environmental health team
- calling us on 0208 770 5000
You'll need to tell us:
- about the problem
- where the problem is (your address an the address of the problem)
- your name
- your contact details
We don't accept anonymous reports. This is because we need to be able to contact you to discuss the issue.
Your identity will be protected under data protection regulations. You should keep in mind that if your report goes to court your identity may need to be revealed.