Straw poll - idling engines (buses, coaches, vans, etc.)

[Nigello]

How often (and where) do you experience any of the above (and personal use cars) letting their engines run as the driver (or, sometimes, an abandoned passenger) is parked up?

[heartblock]

Everyday on EDG 8:15 -9:00 wish

[march46]

Depressingly every day on every street. Years ago I thought it was a lack of awareness, but now it seems to be pure selfish entitlement eg I want to be warm / charge my phone / pretend I?m not really parked on double yellow lines, with no regard to everyone else breathing in their fumes.

Same goes for wood burning, people kid themselves an eco-burner is ?clean? without caring about the impact on their neighbours.

[Lebanums]

Every day outside Camberwell Cemetery, the 63 is idling in the waiting area. I also spotted someone pulled over on Peckham Rye last week on their phone with the engine running.

I am a motorist, but very conscious of this. If I'm in traffic, I always have my start stop on so as not to cause further pollution, never mind use up expensive fuel. Unfortunately, it is not the case for the many.

[heartblock]

Also parents dropping of and picking up kids at Alleyns, JAGs and Judith Kerr primary all the way down ED Grove, Village Way and Half-moon Lane - in residents parking spaces, no parking zones and even once on the pavement. Also coaches picking up JAGs and Alleyn's kids.

[KidKruger]

People pulled-over just scanning their phones/eating, stereo on, engine on, sometimes up to an hour.

Private drivers, minicab drivers, builders/tradesmen.

I think very few of which will say "thank you, what a great point you've made, I'll be sure to consider environmental aspects next time I want to doss an hour in my heated car, filling my face and charging my phone".

Or at least, I'd be surprised if that was the kind of reply !

[Nigello]

Some of the coach drivers (who hang around Gallery Road of a morning) have been civil; others have ignored me and others again did switch off but with a sneery look on their faces.

Just imagine how many gallons of fuel and how much carbon are being wasted over the UK just through idling engines...

[singalto]

Every single day. I get particularly cross with parents who arrive early to pick their children up from school and do this, poisoning their children and everyone else?s.

[Waseley]

Trouble is this is a bit of a bubble. Everyone will post indignation, yet loads of people do sit their idling. I've given up asking them to switch their engines off, few do. My fave was the police officers, I've seen two on a car having a takeaway with the engine running. Four with the doors open chatting. Reminding them that it is illegal and that the police have powers to take action just got strange looks. So I wrote to the senior copper responsible for environmental issues and got no reply

So my question is rather than moan,as I have just done, what to do about it? Some schools have good messaging for example. Enforcement by councils us limited and the police nonexistent. TfL had a poster and advertising campaign Ten years ago but few remember it

[goldilocks]

Apparently you should call Southwark Parking enforcement who will then come out and ask the offending driver to switch off their engine. Clearly this isn't an efficient option, or even very effective.

A scheme like in New York where you could film offenders and submit video evidence for cash reward would be a much quicker route to compliance!

[roywj]

Like heartblock says every day on EDG all the way down to Village Way, Half Moon Lane etc. Most of the coaches sit with engines idling. Every day there is one that arrives at around 3pm on EDG parked outside the Dutch Estate with engine idling for at least 30 minutes, so unnecessary. Been told but keeps doing it.

Yesterday also saw a coach pull up outside Dulwich College, stop all the South circular to let kids off.

The schools Alleyns, Jags, Dulwich College etc. treat local residents with contempt - there is hardly any traffic when they are on holiday.

[JohnL]

Don't modern cars automatically go to an off state when not in use ?

Older ones like mine still need to be turned off.

[goldilocks]

they do provided they have enough battery to do so - if they've only been driven a short distance, or the heating / air blowers are on and they're charging devices etc, the engine may stay on.

[Waseley]

Government pass the buck to local authorities to enforce yet the powers are pretty pathetic. Occasionally some, like Westminster, will do a campaign but a lot of effort for little reward. Turning off your engine is a no brainer so wonder why so many find it so difficult. Some will even turn off stop start. I've only used it on hire cars, its a bit wierd but you get used to it in a day or so

[march46]

I see a few mentions of the idling coaches from the independent schools - this is run by the Foundation Coach Service, maybe people should email their Transport Manager to complain? https://www.dulwich.org.uk/foundation-schools-coach-service/contact

[Nigello]

Delivery drivers (motorbike and vans) often idle the engines but only for small bursts at a time, but when you add up how many times they do so to do their jobs, it will be a sizeable period.

Best to write an email or Tweet a complaint to say you have witnessed idling and want the firm to remind drivers it is wasteful, polluting and illegal.

[Nigello]

Another one today - Clarkes near a school, on a DYL! I asked politely (please and thank you, thumbs up sign) but did not stick around to see whether the driver complied with the law. Endemic?

[heartblock]

"I see a few mentions of the idling coaches from the independent schools - this is run by the Foundation Coach Service, maybe people should email their Transport Manager to complain?" Yep done that and e-mailed the schools and one of the village councillors (who told me that it wasn't in their remit to do anything about school coaches :( )

[Nigello]

I purposely did not mention where the coaches were (apart from the Gallery Road ones) to at least try to stop it being a state/private school thing. The atmosphere is still polluted wherever the coach or car is sitting or going to/coming from.

I think contacting the coach/bus/firm is a better idea and being constructive - ie. using it as an opportunity to remind all drivers everywhere of their legal obligations - is likely to have a better effect than a complaint with no suggestion of ways to improve.

[bels123]

It is in the remit of the Foundation Coach service, who are paying the coach companies. What did they say when you complained?

heartblock Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> "I see a few mentions of the idling coaches from

> the independent schools - this is run by the

> Foundation Coach Service, maybe people should

> email their Transport Manager to complain?" Yep

> done that and e-mailed the schools and one of the

> village councillors (who told me that it wasn't in

> their remit to do anything about school coaches :(

> )

[natnat]

As much as I can appreciate the frustration of the effect these have on the environment and in terms of pollution, what is not needed is people running up to cars banging on windows, which I myself have experienced when demisting my windows on cold mornings to try to get my children to school and on to work. I have been shouted out while parking on double yellows with my engine off and had someone stop to question me as though they are police to ask why I am parked there although I have a permit to do so.

It is not for people to assume they have the right to do this to people.

In this very unjust society where people are outpriced out of having more economically efficient way of life, that energy and anger should be directed at the policy makers and people who are able to merely pay for their pollution.

[Waseley]

Not really sure of your point. It is the vehicles that are sitting their stationary chugging away with no obvious reason for leaving their engine on we have issues about

[Nigello]

Nice way to try to justify your law breaking. In the same way you seem to think you have a right to idle your engine (because it?s a bit nippy and you have offspring) I like to think I have the right to ask those doing the illegal, antisocial and polluting activity to stop. Difference is, I?m not breaking any laws and I do have every right to strike up a conversation with anyone, even though it may irk him or her.

[Waseley]

Hope you aren't arguing with me. The law refers to unnecessary idling. I expect enforcement has been so low, essentially you only get fined after refusing to turn your engine off, there is no case law to determine what is 'necessary' idling. Cops that I have challenged tell me that they need the engine on for their equipment. Sounded nonsense to me.

[march46]

I?ve recently ordered some of these flyers to hand to drivers. Will report back as to how I get on.

https://www.mumsforlungs.org/resources-and-downloads