DRIVERS who leave their vehicles’ engines running while parked on a public road in York could be hit with a £20 fine under new plans.

Council officers will be given the power to issue fixed penalty notices to motorists who leave their cars idling after they have been asked to switch their engines off. And people who fail to pay could be prosecuted.

But vehicles waiting in traffic would not be asked to turn off their engines, unless there’s an obvious long delay because of an accident or closure.

Cllr Peter Dew and Cllr Andrew Waller will be asked to approve the proposals at a meeting on Thursday and, if plans get the go-ahead, fines could be handed out from June.

Green councillor Andy D’Agorne welcomed the news - particularly plans to educate people about the health risks of vehicles idling and plans for enforcement action to start in the summer, rather than in cold weather when drivers may want to keep the heating on.

He said: “There’s more awareness of the direct link between asthma and pollution now. We also need to try to get across the message that pollution is bad inside the car if you are driving as well.”

A report prepared for the meeting says a number of schools have asked the council for advice on reducing the number of people leaving their engines running at the school gates, and the number of complaints about idling has increased.

Signs will be put up at bus stops to encourage people to turn off their vehicles and enforcement officers will patrol areas including Rougier Street, St Leonard’s Place, Stonebow, Station Rise and Clifford Street from June. But other councils have issued very few fines for idling offences.

Cllr Peter Dew, executive member for transport, said: “Through the Quality Bus Partnership, we’re working closely with bus operators around the city, who have been extremely proactive in terms of helping us to raise awareness of this issue among their drivers.”

Cllr Andrew Waller, executive member for the environment, said: “Idling is an issue that we receive complaints about, particularly near schools and residential areas. These measures are aimed at improving air quality and public health, as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle noise.”