Brighton & Hove City Council In The UK Steps Up Measures To Improve Air Quality

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The Brighton & Hove City Council in the United Kingdom says that due to the fact that an idling engine can produce up to twice as much exhaust emissions as an engine in motion, the Council is introducing a new measure to help reduce emissions from idling. Exhaust emissions contain a range of air pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter. The City Council says that beginning the second of January 2024, motorists could be issued a £40 fine (also known as a Fixed Penalty Notice or FPN) if they leave their vehicles running when parked. The council says the fine is reduced to £20 if paid within 10 days.

The fine could be for offenders idling their engines in a parking bay, a taxi rank, and other parts of the road, but does not apply to sitting in traffic. This is being implemented after it was agreed at June’s meeting of the City Environment, South Downs & The Sea Committee that the council could begin issuing the FPNs to drivers for engine idling.

Councillor Tim Rowkins, chair of the City Environment, South Downs & The Sea Committee, said: “Improving the city’s air quality is extremely important, especially for those who suffer from long term respiratory conditions like asthma and lung disease. Enforcing engine idling is something we hope will deter motorists from releasing harmful emissions unnecessarily. We are asking those parked up to switch off their engines and reduce air pollution.”

In another move to help reduce emissions, the Council is also applying for funding under the UK government’s ZEBRA 2 fund for new electric buses which will also help cut emissions and improve air quality in Brighton & Hove. The council, in partnership with Brighton & Hove Buses, is making a funding bid for 16 electric buses and associated charging infrastructure. The Council says replacing diesel buses with zero-carbon alternatives will support its vision for an accessible, clean, and sustainable city by helping the city meet air quality targets.

Councillor Trevor Muten, Chair of the Transport & Sustainability Committee, said: “With transport accounting for a third of carbon emissions in the UK, investment in zero-emissions transport is an important part of our journey towards a sustainable, clean, equitable and accessible transport system. Data has shown that parts of the city have declining levels of air quality in recent years that can impact the health and wellbeing of residents, so we must act now to tackle this challenge and reverse this trend.’’

“Brighton & Hove was recently named as a global leader for climate action on CDP’s Cities A List, but there is still much more work to do in order to achieve our ambition of becoming a carbon neutral city. We have one of the best used bus networks in the country, with residents making more bus journeys per head of population than anywhere else outside of London. Fully electric buses will help drive air quality improvements and decarbonise our popular public transport.”

The City Council adds that in 2022, transport accounted for 34% of UK territorial carbon dioxide emissions. Providing electric buses will help to reduce carbon emissions on bus routes across Brighton & Hove, which existing heat maps have shown to be some of the city’s highest emission areas. The ZEBRA 2 program was launched in October of 2023 by the UK’s Department for Transport. Under this program, the Department for Transport provides up to 75% of the cost difference between a zero emission bus and a standard conventional diesel bus. The Department will also provide  up to 75% of the cost of supporting infrastructure. A local contribution of at least 25% is therefore expected from bus operators and local transport authorities.