£150 fine for leaving your car’s engine idling in Wales
The previous punishment for leaving your car idling in Wales was just £20
From today, drivers in Wales could face a fine of up to £150 if they leave their cars idling.
In a bid to lower vehicle emissions, the Welsh government has increased the fixed penalty for idling from £20 to between £75 and £150.
The change aims to protect public health by reducing air pollution, which contributes to heart and lung disease and disproportionately affects children and vulnerable people. Cabinet Minister Llyr Gruffydd said: “Idling engines pump out fumes that people breathe in, including children outside schools and vulnerable people outside healthcare settings. Switching off is such a simple thing to do, and we want to encourage everyone to get into the habit – whether you're outside a school, a doctor’s surgery, the shops, a train station or anywhere else.”
The Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Professor Isabel Oliver, added: “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.”
Under Rule 123 of the Highway Code, drivers must not leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave a vehicle’s engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road.
Local authorities across the UK already have the power to issue £20 fines to drivers guilty of idling - typically enforced outside higher-risk areas such as schools and hospitals.
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