‘Switch off when your engine is idling’ – Town Council campaign to improve the air quality in Marlborough

‘Don’t be stinker’ – ‘Remember to switch off when your engine is idling‘ is the message that Marlborough Town Council is getting out to everyone that drives a car around or through Marlborough. And there are plenty of occasions when – either waiting for some interminably long roadworks traffic light to change, or you are stopped beside the road either dropping something off or picking someone up – that the engie could be turned off, even for just a minute or so.

Click here to visit the page on the Town Council website that gives all the information needed and reasons why you should switch that engine off.

In a press release, Town Clerk, Richard Spencer-Williams spells out the reasons for the campaign:

Leaving your engine running, or ‘idling’ wastes fuel and money and increases the amount of
exhaust fumes in the air.

Marlborough is a busy town with A-roads meeting in the town centre. School and club entrances
are close to houses and many people live or work next to busy roads and shopping or other
commercial areas.

Every minute, an idling car produces enough toxic exhaust emissions to fill 150 balloons.

Reducing emissions from idling vehicles can significantly contribute to a better environment for
everyone – saving money and reducing noise, smells and toxic emissions.

The campaign came about following a plea from a resident about air quality in Marlborough – they had noticed the number of drivers who leave engines running in stationary vehicles next to the pavement in the High Street and at sport clubs while waiting to collect children.  Councillors agreed to help spread the word about the harmful effects of toxic exhaust emissions. 

Marlborough.news did used to have a link (from a button, one of those just under the masthead) linking directly to a page on the Wiltshire Council website that gave real-time information about air pollution on the London Road, measured by a Monitor by the Bridge Garage. But then we realised the data wasn’t changing. We discovered that the monitor either wasn’t working or had become disconnected. So either way it was (still is?) useless. And Wiltshire Council were unable to give any reason why, or when it would be working again, or even ‘if’….. That monitor’s web page is now moved to the ‘air quality England’ website – click here to reach – and it still states ‘Sorry, no current data are available‘.

So no opportunity to keep you, Marlborough residents informed as to air pollution in the town.

But ‘being a stinker’ – of course, if in an electric car, no emission so turning off doesn’t matter…..