Engine idling

Engine idling (leaving your vehicle engine running while stationary) is a significant source of local air pollution. It contributes to poor air quality, which in turn damages people’s health.

Engine off Every Stop

To help improve local air quality, the Council has joined the Idling Action London campaign; a London-wide education and behaviour change initiative.

What are Brent doing to tackle engine idling?

Brent are supporting the Engine Off Every Stop campaign asking all drivers to switch off their engine when parked up, wherever possible. This project is being funded by the Mayor's Air Quality Fund and is jointly led by City of London Corporation and the London Borough of Camden.

Installing signage

No-idling signs have been installed outside all schools in the borough, as well as at other hotspots, to act as a visual reminder for residents to switch off. These areas have been chosen either due to it being a known idling hotspot or due to complaints received about vehicles idling in that area.

Join us

In addition, Brent has taken the #EnginesOff pledge and is committed to avoiding engine idling throughout its operations wherever possible.

When your vehicle is parked up and stationary please switch off your engine to help improve local air quality and clean up our air. Together, we can make a real difference and improve the quality of air we all breathe.

You can find out more about engine idling and how you, your school or business can get involved on the Idling Action London campaign website. 

You can be fined for idling a vehicle engine

As well as vehicle idling creating unnecessary pollution, it is also an offence under section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty) (England) Regulations 2002.

Therefore, if a vehicle driver is found to be parked up and idling unnecessarily, they can be fined £20 if they refuse to turn off their engine on request.

Report vehicle idling

Tell us if you see vehicles idling on a road near you.

We do not have the capacity to visit reports and it is unlikely we would make it in time to speak to the driver. However, by letting us know if there is an area where vehicles are regularly idling we will be able to identify idling hotspots across the borough.

We will use this information to inform where to hold idling action engagement events and where further signage should be installed.