Monday 21 March 2022

New grants for council campaign to put a stop to idling engines

A new anti-idling campaign has secured grants in a bid to improve air quality in Kent, South East England.

Medway Council has been awarded nearly £130,000 in government funding for two projects designed to improve air quality in the region.

One of them will encourage motorists to switch off their engines when they are not moving.

According to the US Department of Energy, idling for more than ten seconds uses more fuel and produces more emissions than stopping and restarting your engine does.

The funding will also support a taxi and private hire ultra-low emission vehicle feasibility study - it will include a two-week testing programme at various locations across Medway to measure the impact vehicles have on air quality.

The study will also explore what infrastructure needs to be installed to encourage more drivers and operators to use ultra-low emission vehicles.

Councillor Jane Chitty, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Planning, Economic Growth and Regulation, said: “I am delighted that we have received almost £130,000 in government funding to help improve air quality in Medway.

"We will do everything we can to tackle air pollution and reduce emissions. I look forward to watching these exciting projects progress.”