Many people are unaware of the fact that the last Labour government took action to improve our air quality and ban unnecessary engine idling. 

Under the road traffic- vehicle emissions Fixed Penalty England regulations 2002, local authorities have the power to fine Motorists who fail to switch on their engine when asked to do so by an authorised person. 

A number of local authorities are using this power to establish no idling zones in vulnerable areas. In particular many are setting up no idling zones outside schools. We know that children’s lungs are particularly vulnerable to air pollution and that air pollution has also been linked two other problems with children including circulatory problems and developmental issues linked to the brain, A number of deaths in children have been linked directly to air pollution including one particularly sad case in South London which has received significant media attention as a result of legal proceedings brought by the parents. It’s not just a winter phenomenon either. People idle their cars in summer to keep the aircon going! 

But the situation is now so serious that Public Health England has recommended that such zones be set up outside all schools. The measure is among a series of UK-wide recommendations put forward by Public Health England. 

In March this year PHE medical director Paul Cosford told the BBC: “We should stop idling outside schools and we should make sure that children can walk or cycle to school.” 

PHE said 28,000 to 36,000 deaths a year in the UK could be attributed to long-term exposure to air pollution. It describes air pollution as ‘the biggest environmental threat to health in the UK’ and says there is strong evidence that air pollution is a direct cause of coronary heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease and lung cancer. It also exacerbates asthma. 

Banbury and Bicester Labour Party believes it’s critical that local authorities work with schools to establish no idling zones outside all schools in the area without delay. Your local Labour Party has therefore decided to launch a campaign with immediate effect to put pressure on the local authorities to work with schools. You may ask why Labour doesn’t simply do this itself but unfortunately we do not have a majority on either Cherwell District or Oxfordshire County Council (and currently no councillors in Bicester). We are therefore only in a position to campaign for these measures and of course for our elected councillors to put pressure on the controlling Conservative groups. 

Our Labour parliamentary candidate, Suzette Watson, is particularly concerned about this issue and will lead the campaign to protect our children’s health in Cherwell. A dedicated environmental campaigner, she believes that the issue of children’s health and air quality outside schools is so important that she has pledged to campaign on this issue until schools are all signed up to the policy. 

It’s not an expensive proposition. In fact it is very cheap and simple. For example, the London Borough of Brent Council has developed a toolkit pack which can be cheaply distributed to each school for just a few pounds. This involves engaging the students themselves to get involved and try to change behaviour rather than the authorities enforcing penalties. 

Such a campaign, along with encouraging students to walk or cycle to school where possible and avoid car use entirely is long overdue in this area. Other local authorities have done this and many more are introducing schemes. It is time we did too. Labour will keep campaigning on this issue until we succeed. Watch this space. 

Bicester Advertiser column from Chris Howells, Chair of Banbury and Bicester CLP