28 Mar 2025
A St Albans primary school is taking matters into its own hands when it comes to motorists leaving their engines running outside the gates.
Fleetville Infant and Nursery School has teamed up with local Green councillor Matt Fisher to warn drivers of the dangers they are posing to children’s health.
Motorists frequently stop in Royal Road to wait for their youngsters to finish school, but contribute to local pollution by not turning off their ignitions.
Members of the Caring School Committee, made up of pupils from Years 1 and 2, helped Matt install banners in Royal Road urging drivers to take heed.
They spoke to him about how polluted air can damage their lungs, which made it hard for them to breathe.
Headteacher Jen Gardner said: “Our job is to influence people and help them understand why it would benefit them and other pople to make these changes.
“If lots of people work together to make little changes then the world will be a happier place.”
She said that pupils want motorists to follow the school’s values, known as the Four Bs: Be kind, be responsible, be respectful and be safe.
Matt said he is building on SADC and Hertfordshire County Council’s existing work, launching a targeted effort to reduce idling, cut car usage for short journeys, and promote active travel like walking, scooting, and cycling.
Matt is determined to improve air quality and emphasised that by targeting schools, we gain the buy-in from children, who can talk to their parents and help influence us grown-ups to make better choices.
Matt was inspired by the children’s awareness and passion for doing the right thing.
“This is fundamentally an education campaign for us all. With better awareness you can make better choices, and when you make better choices you will see better results.”
Every time a car is left idling, it wastes fuel and money while releasing toxic fumes into the air.
Between five and eight per cent of fuel consumption happens while cars sit with engines running unnecessarily.
Contrary to popular belief, restarting your car doesn’t use more fuel than idling – it actually saves it.
Idling contributes to air pollution and climate change while harming our health.
Shockingly, air pollution is linked to more than 40,000 premature deaths in the UK each year. Sitting in a car with the engine running can be even worse than standing outside – air inside an idling car can be twice as polluted as the air outside. This is especially dangerous for children, older people, and those with respiratory conditions.
What You Can Do
- Turn it off! If you’re stationary for more than a few seconds, switch off your engine;
- Be mindful of sensitive locations. Schools, hospitals, and care homes are hotspots for idling – turning your engine off in these areas helps protect the most vulnerable;
- Use your car’s stop-start function. Many modern vehicles have this feature, helping to reduce idling without extra effort;
- Rethink short journeys. Walking, cycling, or scooting are great alternatives that improve air quality and health;
- Warm up by driving, not idling. Engines don’t need to idle to warm up – driving is the best way to get your car up to temperature.
