New anti-idling campaign launched across the borough

Tunbridge Wells residents are being asked to try and make the air we breathe cleaner and healthier for everyone with a new anti-idling campaign.

The campaign starts this Thursday, 20 June, to coincide with Clean Air Day. The Council’s Environmental Health team’s anti-idling initiative aims to encourage everyone who does need to drive rather than walk or cycle, to switch off their vehicle engines when they are stationary.

The Council’s campaign will be rolled out over the coming year in partnership with Maidstone and Swale Borough Councils and will include placing posters and banners designed by school children at key locations across the borough and other awareness raising events.

Last year the Council ran a schools competition asking pupils to design anti-idling banners. The two winning designs, created by pupils from Year 4 at St Mark’s Primary School, have been made up into full size banners which will shortly go on display outside the school. Councillor Barbara Cobbold and members of the Environmental Health team will be visiting St Marks on Thursday to present the winners with their banners.

Cllr Cobbold, Ward Member for Broadwater said: “Air pollution is something that affects all of us. By taking simple steps such as switching off your engine when possible, we can all help improve the air quality for everyone. Congratulations to the pupils of Year 4 at St Mark’s for their fantastic designs which I am sure will encourage drivers not to idle when they are waiting outside the school.”

One of the most common places for cars to be left idling is outside school gates at drop off and pick up, and this means some of the most vulnerable in our community are being  exposed to increased and unnecessary air pollution.

If you are waiting for children at the school gates, at clubs or sport centres, or at train stations or outside friends’ houses, please remember to turn off your engine. And on 20 June if you can why not give your car a rest, and walk, cycle or take the train to help reduce air pollution.