You can use this page to make a complaint about a vehicle with its engine idling when parked on a public highway in the Bath and North East Somerset area.
Running a vehicle's engine while parked contributes to nitrogen dioxide pollution and worsens air quality. This type of pollution can make lung and heart conditions worse. It can also reduce lung development in children and trigger asthma attacks.
You might see drivers idling their engines while waiting outside schools, shops, hospitals and homes, unaware of the impact on those around them. Children, pregnant women and people with chronic health conditions are disproportionately affected.
When engine idling is reported, we aim to make contact with the operator (for commercial vehicles) or, the organisation being visited to:
- raise awareness of the dangers of idling engines
- encourage more people to switch off their engine while waiting
- highlight the benefits of driving more responsibly
Before you report it
It’s always a good idea to try and resolve problems informally. Try and talk to the person responsible for leaving their engine idling; they may not be aware that they are causing a problem. Our 'Kick the Habit' campaign is raising awareness about the dangers of idling or running your engine in a stationary vehicle. You can learn more about the campaign and download useful resources.
If this does not help, then you can report it to us.
Before you report noise pollution you will need the following information:
- your name, address, telephone number and email address
- when and where the engine idling is occurring
- the commercial operator of the vehicle and registration mark (if applicable)
- the organisation which is being visited (if applicable)
We will not investigate anonymous complaints.
Gathering evidence
Before reporting engine idling to us, consider gathering evidence of the incident(s). Providing evidence helps our officers make contact with operators or organisations. There are several ways you can gather evidence:
- A video of the vehicle with its engine idling
- Photos of the vehicle with its engine idling
- A record of times, dates and vehicle operators
Your evidence needs to be true, to the best of your knowledge and belief.
Report it
You can report engine idling by using our online form.
Next steps
If you have made a report with all of the information we need, we can make contact with the operator or organisation.
In this case, we will write to the operator or the organisation being visited. We will inform them that we have received a complaint and give them advice so they can stop causing further problems.