Recently The Age published an article about congestion around school zones. The article quoted Mark Stevenson, professor of urban transport and public health at the University of Melbourne who said air pollution as a consequence of traffic congestion around schools is affecting children and creating a “considerable” health concern. He noted that in Denmark and Finland parking near schools is banned.
The article also quoted RACV head of policy James Williams who said governments should consider anti idling laws.
“Given that there is evidence to suggest that children exposed to exhaust fumes are at risk of developing health complications, anti-idling laws are worth investigating by governments,” he said.
Lane Cove Council is leading the way in Australia. After a Mayoral Minute by Mayor Andrew Zbik raising awareness of the issue, Lane Cove Council wrote to NSW Minister for Roads calling for the State Government to create in relevant State Legislation and Regulations a traffic offence for idling of a motor vehicle that causes air pollution.
The Mayor raised this issue after becoming aware of Lane Cove local Paul Cleary’s campaign to stop idling around School Zones and Car Parks. Read more here.
Mayor Andrew Zbik noted thee purpose of his motion is to advocate to Local Government NSW and the NSW State Government to enable enforcement of unwarranted idling of a motor vehicle where air pollution is generated.
At the August 2023 Lane Cove Council Meeting Mayor Zbik tabled another motion raising awareness of empty buses sitting outside schools and idiling.
He noted there are signs throughout the Lane Cove Area that request buses operated under contract from Transport for NSW turn off their engines if they are parked for more than 2 minutes. The same request should be made for private buses operating in the Lane Cove Council Area.
The Mayor sought Council’s support to hat Council write a Letter to the Secondary Schools offering transport to school in the Lane Cove Council area and request their drivers adhere to the same requirement as buses operating under contract with Transport for NSW – namely that they turn off their engines while stationary.
After raising this issue with Transport for NSW, Lane Cove Council was advised by the Minister for Roads that they were not considering any form of legislation around idiling at schools. Lane Cove Council resolved to undertake an education campaign to raise awareness of the issue.
In the United States the Enviornmental Protection Agency has launced an Ideal Free School Tookit.
The Idle-Free Schools Toolkit includes information needed to run an effective idling reduction campaign at a school to reduce student exposure to vehicle exhaust. The Toolkit also provides the resources to make this a student-run science or community involvement project, providing students with the opportunity to learn how to run a public service campaign while expanding their science and math skills.
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