Agenda item

This Council notes:

1. That while there is a general downward trend in air pollution Exeter has areas of poor air quality. Air pollution in parts of the city regularly exceed the limits for NO2 set by both national legislation and the World Health Organisation. Much of this pollution derives from emissions from vehicles.
2. That the Royal College of Physicians estimates that 40,000 deaths a year are linked to air pollution with engine idling contributing to this.^[1]
3. That Government guidance as early as 2018 and reiterated annually since states that: "Poor air quality is the biggest environmental risk to public health in the UK.”^[2] That every minute, an idling car produces enough exhaust emissions to fill 150 balloons with harmful chemicals, including cyanide, NOx and PM2.5. The microscopic pollutants can result in a range of health problems - from heart and lung disease to strokes and cancer and have been shown to be particularly damaging to children.
4. That idling increases the amount of exhaust fumes in the air.  These fumes contain a number of harmful gases including carbon dioxide, which is bad for the environment and contributes towards climate change, as well as a range of other harmful gases including nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons which are linked to asthma and other lung diseases. 
5. That the Department of Transport stated in 2019 that « Putting a stop to idling is an easy way to drive down dangerously high levels of pollution, reducing its impact on the environment and our health. »^[3]
6. That Exeter city Council has declared an area of the city to be an Air Quality Management Area, and the Council states it is « taking steps to reduce air pollution. » and that Exeter City Council’s Air Quality Action Plan is due for review in 2024 having run since 2018.
7. That air pollution has a very significant impact on health, quality of life and mortality.  That air pollution has a disproportionate impact on the health of children, vulnerable adults and the socially disadvantaged. That Public Health England states « Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of air pollution. Exposure to air pollution in early life can have a long-lasting effect on lung function. There is evidence that the process of normal lung function growth in children is suppressed by long-term exposure to air pollution. »^[4]
8. That the government's health standards body the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has since 2017 recommended action to reduce idling as a significant measure to improve air quality.^[5] That each incremental improvement in air quality delivers immediate health benefits. 
9. That Public Health England recommends that « local authorities, as part of their local Review of interventions to improve outdoor air quality and public health 15 air quality management assessments, consider a range of interventions including working with children and their parents to implement no-idling zones outside schools. »^[6]
10. That research from the RAC has found that 26% of those caught idling are spotted doing so outside schools.^[7]
11. That there are identifiable ‘hotspot’ idling areas in Exeter where people are regularly parked or informally pulled up.  Many of these are in public places where vulnerable groups gather, including schools.
12. That idling initiatives already exist on NHS premises and isolated schools in Exeter, but would benefit from a consistent messaging approach across the city.
13. That vehicle idling has been an offence since 1988, incurring a £20 fine (£40 if not paid promptly) under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) Regulations 2002.
14. That many Councils in England and the UK of different political persuasions have already put in place non idling measures including media campaigns, signs placed at hotspots and enforcement of fines.

This Council resolves to:

1. Develop and run an anti-idling campaign for Exeter which brings together a range of approaches to tackle known idling hotspots.  This will include a range of elements to be explored further including:

a. A City Council branded campaign which sends a message about the Council’s commitment to reducing air pollution and specifically idling.

b. Collaboration with local businesses through the Chamber of Commerce and business bodies and other means to encourage businesses to sign up to an Engines Off pledge or similar.

c. Anti-idling signage in known hotspots, including schools, parks, car parks and hotspot streets, requesting location agreement with Devon County Council when necessary.

d. An idling reporting tool on the ECC website for members of the public to help identify problem areas.

e. An attractive, easy to understand web page providing quality information about idling, to allow members of the public understand the positive rationale and engender engagement in change.

f. Links and free downloadable materials that can support businesses, non-commercial premises including schools, care homes, where vulnerable people and children are present, and members of the public whose streets suffer from the impacts of idling.

2.        Liaise with Devon County Council Public Health and Devon and Cornwall Police to agree on collaboration to reduce idling.

3.        To report back through the Air Quality status reports to asses effectiveness.

Below is a link for further background:

Brent video:

https://www.brent.gov.uk/environment/air-quality/no-idling-campaign

Councillor Ketchin, seconded by Councillor Read, moved a Notice of Motion in the following terms:-

This Council notes:

1.   That while there is a general downward trend in air pollution Exeter has areas of poor air quality. Air pollution in parts of the city regularly exceed the limits for NO2 set by both national legislation and the World Health Organisation. Much of this pollution derives from emissions from vehicles.

2.   That the Royal College of Physicians estimates that 40,000 deaths a year are linked to air pollution with engine idling contributing to this.^[1]

3.   That Government guidance as early as 2018 and reiterated annually since states that: "Poor air quality is the biggest environmental risk to public health in the UK.”^[2] That every minute, an idling car produces enough exhaust emissions to fill 150 balloons with harmful chemicals, including cyanide, NOx and PM2.5. The microscopic pollutants can result in a range of health problems - from heart and lung disease to strokes and cancer and have been shown to be particularly damaging to children.

4.   That idling increases the amount of exhaust fumes in the air.  These fumes contain a number of harmful gases including carbon dioxide, which is bad for the environment and contributes towards climate change, as well as a range of other harmful gases including nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons which are linked to asthma and other lung diseases. 

5.   That the Department of Transport stated in 2019 that « Putting a stop to idling is an easy way to drive down dangerously high levels of pollution, reducing its impact on the environment and our health. »^[3]

6.   That Exeter city Council has declared an area of the city to be an Air Quality Management Area, and the Council states it is « taking steps to reduce air pollution. » and that Exeter City Council’s Air Quality Action Plan is due for review in 2024 having run since 2018.

7.   That air pollution has a very significant impact on health, quality of life and mortality.  That air pollution has a disproportionate impact on the health of children, vulnerable adults and the socially disadvantaged. That Public Health England states « Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of air pollution. Exposure to air pollution in early life can have a long-lasting effect on lung function. There is evidence that the process of normal lung function growth in children is suppressed by long-term exposure to air pollution. »^[4]

8.   That the government's health standards body the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has since 2017 recommended action to reduce idling as a significant measure to improve air quality.^[5] That each incremental improvement in air quality delivers immediate health benefits. 

9.   That Public Health England recommends that « local authorities, as part of their local Review of interventions to improve outdoor air quality and public health 15 air quality management assessments, consider a range of interventions including working with children and their parents to implement no-idling zones outside schools. »^[6]

10.   That research from the RAC has found that 26% of those caught idling are spotted doing so outside schools^[7]

11.   That there are identifiable ‘hotspot’ idling areas in Exeter where people are regularly parked or informally pulled up.  Many of these are in public places where vulnerable groups gather, including schools.

12.   That idling initiatives already exist on NHS premises and isolated schools in Exeter, but would benefit from a consistent messaging approach across the city.

13.   That vehicle idling has been an offence since 1988, incurring a £20 fine (£40 if not paid promptly) under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) Regulations 2002.

14.   That many Councils in England and the UK of different political persuasions have already put in place non idling measures including media campaigns, signs placed at hotspots and enforcement of fines.

This Council resolves to:

1.   Develop and run an anti-idling campaign for Exeter which brings together a range of approaches to tackle known idling hotspots.  This will include a range of elements to be explored further including:

a. A City Council branded campaign which sends a message about the Council’s commitment to reducing air pollution and specifically idling.

b. Collaboration with local businesses through the Chamber of Commerce and business bodies and other means to encourage businesses to sign up to an Engines Off pledge or similar.

c. Anti-idling signage in known hotspots, including schools, parks, car parks and hotspot streets, requesting location agreement with Devon County Council when necessary.

d. An idling reporting tool on the ECC website for members of the public to help identify problem areas.

e. An attractive, easy to understand web page providing quality information about idling, to allow members of the public understand the positive rationale and engender engagement in change.

f. Links and free downloadable materials that can support businesses, non-commercial premises including schools, care homes, where vulnerable people and children are present, and members of the public whose streets suffer from the impacts of idling.

2.        Liaise with Devon County Council Public Health and Devon and Cornwall Police to agree on collaboration to reduce idling.

3.        To report back through the Air Quality status reports to assess effectiveness.

Councillor Ketchin, in presenting the Motion through his maiden speech, made the following points:-

·         reducing idling has many benefits - for the public in reducing damaging exhaust emissions and for car owners through savings on fuel, maintenance, and extending vehicle life;

·         Rule 123 of the Highway Code stated that “a driver must not leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while the vehicle is stationary on a public road” and the Road Traffic Act 1988 enshrined Rule 123 into law with the Road Traffic Regulations of 2002 enables fixed penalty notices to be issued. There is, however, a lack of awareness that idling is against the law;

·         vehicle exhausts emit many harmful gases including nitrous oxides, carbon monoxide, sulphides, benzenes, cyanide and penetrating particulate matter. The health evidence is ever building that serious harm is caused. National data on air pollution extrapolated to Exeter suggests that one death every four days occurs as a result of pollution in the city;

·         the local Emergency Department treats a number of people for all of the diseases that air pollution is known to drive including emphysema, asthma, cancers in non-smokers, asthma in all ages and heart disease etc.;

·         the Council has acknowledged that the problem is fixable and that intervention can be effective. Taxi and bus company drivers are advised to stop idling in the city centre;

·         schools, such as the Ladysmith Junior Schools have trialled modest campaigns and the hospital is also supportive with anti-idling notices already existing on the main site;

·         regionally, Labour in Bristol, the Liberal Democrats in Bath and North Somerset, and the Conservatives in Cornwall are tackling idling, as are other District Councils throughout the UK;

·         whilst the Council’s statutory role is the monitoring and reporting of air quality there is no obligation that the Council must remain passive in its approach to air pollution. The Council has already begun the transition of its vehicle fleet to electrification and supports health and inclusion in other initiatives including its leisure facilities, parks and through the facilitation of active travel;

·         public information campaigns work such as HIV/needle sharing, seatbelts, anti-smoking and pedestrian road safety;

·         a pragmatic approach was proposed to empower and educate drivers. This motion aimed to protect the public and the most vulnerable should be the priority - school children at the school gates and the elderly in public spaces; and

·         even little reductions have measurable health benefits. Each step towards cleaner air should therefore be welcomed by all.

Councillor Jobson, as an opposition group leader, made the following points:-

·         she did not condone idling by vehicles that were waiting but not those in traffic. The Motion did not distinguish between the two and seemed to punish all motorists, many of whom had no choice but to idle as they sit in Exeter’s traffic jams, caused in part by the introduction of an experimental Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN). This motion sought to penalise those for whom a car is a necessity and who were currently not in a position to afford an electric/hybrid or less polluting vehicle;

·         Members who supported the introduction of the LTN at the Exeter HATOC now seek to punish motorists stuck in the traffic jams that they have helped create. Forcing those people onto circuitous and far lengthier journeys would not help address climate change. It was not reducing but increasing emissions. Everyone wanted to see emissions reduced and want steps taken to assist in achieving Net Zero 2030. The introduction of the LTN would not achieve that;

·         steps should be taken to work with the community, local businesses, the taxi and private hire trade, delivery vehicles and trades to come up with a proper solution that would work to assist reduce emissions.

Councillor Read, in seconding the Motion, made the following points:-

·         it is not about idling in traffic but when cars were stationary. No one was in doubt about the impact of idling when cars were parked and which was an offence;

·         every bit of pollution causes health problems and was a potential killer; and

·         there were several hot spots – many outside schools and some schools were trying to tackle the issue but in a disjoined manner so leadership was required.

During the discussion the following points were made:-

·         evidence from the DEFRA funded project at East Wonford Hill, which sought to gain a better understanding of the data and modelling of the locality, showed that idling on the surrounding suburban streets did not contribute significantly to pollution levels at East Wonford Hill.  A campaign to prevent idling would not therefore have an impact at this priority location and would therefore be an inefficient use of resources;

·         Devon County Council should be requested to provide no idling signs for schools and where there are temporary road works and temporary traffic lights. The Motion was welcome but it would have been more appropriate to have raised it through the scrutiny process;

·         car manufacturers were providing solutions with 60% of all new vehicles incorporating automatic stop/strata systems;

·         the Devon County Council Exeter Transport Strategy 2020 to 2030 grouped together interventions that would achieve the largest reduction in carbon including shared vehicles, electrification, public transport, walking and cycling improvements. The issue could more appropriately be addressed by the Exeter Highways and Traffic Orders Committee; and

·         the issue could be referred to the Exeter Transport Working Group.

Councillor Ketchin, in concluding, welcomed the general desire to combat pollution levels and the recognition regarding the adverse impact on peoples’ health. He noted that 26% of illegal idling occurred outside schools and suggested that there was value in using officer resources to help schools with initiatives such as signage. Councillor Ketchin commended the Motion to Council.

The Notice of Motion was put to the vote and LOST.