Reid Street School pupils say "NO" to engine idling

The school has agreed to put up a specially created banner outside its gates to help spread the message to parents and carers that they must switch off their engines when parked outside of school.

The banners are part of our Care for Clean Air campaign aimed at encouraging motorists not to leave their engine idling whilst their vehicle is stationary. Engine idling “hotspots” include outside of schools and nurseries whilst parents and carers drop off and pick up; along with other areas where people wait to collect passengers including outside the train station, supermarkets, and in car parks.

Leaving a diesel or petrol engine idling whilst parked up concentrates emissions from the engine and can lead to poor localised air quality. It is estimated that an idling car causes enough emissions to fill 150 balloons with harmful pollutants every minute.

Children especially can be more vulnerable to the effects of air pollution by breathing in the fine particles emitted and, in some cases, these can be linked to conditions such as asthma and respiratory infections.

Children breathe more rapidly than adults so absorb more pollutants. They also breathe closer to the ground and the level of a vehicle exhaust; this is also true for very young children in buggies and prams.

We've provided schools with information, and it is hoped the refresh of the Care for Clean Air campaign will remind and encourage parents to switch off their engines, as well as the general public in other areas across the borough.

Social media messages and other marketing tools will be used to help drive home this important message to prevent air pollution and protect health.

Reminder messages have also been aimed at school transport providers to ensure engines are switched off when the vehicle is waiting to pick up outside of school. Schools can get their free Care About Your Air banner by emailing: [email protected]

Councillor Matthew Roche, Darlington Borough Council’s cabinet member for health and housing, said:

“I am delighted that Reid Street School is supporting our campaign and we urge other local schools and nurseries to jump on board the “banner wagon” and help us to tackle engine idling. The banners are free and will act as visual reminder to those parked outside of schools that engine idling is not acceptable.

“As well as the health cost, there is a financial and climate cost to engine idling. Leaving an engine running for even 10 seconds uses more fuel and creates more pollution than restarting your engine. It’s not difficult, please switch off your engine when your car is stationary – not just outside of schools but wherever you are on your journey.

“Better still, try and walk or cycle for shorter journeys, your health and finances will thank you and our air.”

Paula Ayto, Principal of Reid Street School, added:

“In an ideal world, all our pupils would walk or cycle to school. However, we accept that this is not always possible. We want to protect the health of our young pupils and, by supporting this campaign, I hope that parents and carers who park outside our school will take notice of the banner and switch off their engine while waiting outside our school.”

Personalised help and advice on how to travel car free and more sustainably is available from the council’s travel advisors by emailing: [email protected]