Leaving your engine running in Wales could cost you £150

Drivers in Wales who leave their vehicle engine running while parked will face fines of up to £150 from Wednesday. The change is part of a new measure by the Welsh government to try to reduce harmful pollution and to protect children's health.The previous punishment for idling, as it is known, was £20, but that has now been raised to anywhere from £75 to £150, depending on circumstances.The Welsh government said it hoped the increase would "change the habits of people who are polluting communities".Llyr Gruffydd, cabinet minister for rural resilience and sustainability, said the £20 fixed fine for idling was "insufficient", and not being used "in the way everyone might envision it".Increasing the fee that is available for local authorities to penalise drivers will be a "stronger deterrent", he added. "We really do feel we need to step up here, clamp down on this as a problem and make sure we protect people's health and generally it will make communities a better place to live in."Gruffydd said he hoped the higher range of fines would "change the habits of people who are polluting communities and are putting children and vulnerable people's health at risk". Under rule 123 of the Highway Code, drivers must not leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road. Areas outside schools have been identified as high risk sites where emissions pose particular concerns.Hospitals, GP surgeries, care homes and other healthcare facilities are also identified as high risk locations. Professor Isabel Oliver, chief medical officer for Wales, said air pollution was a serious public health issue that contributed to a range of conditions including heart and lung disease. "Children, older people and those with existing health conditions are particularly vulnerable to its effects," she said."Idling may seem like a small, everyday habit, but it adds up. "Every time an engine is switched off rather than left running, we reduce the amount of harmful pollution in the air we all breathe, particularly around schools, hospitals and other places where vulnerable people spend time."This new measure comes into force following a vote at the Senedd in March. MSs passed the new rules, with 37 politicians voting for and 12 against. There were no abstentions.