The Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee will conclude its work in March 2026 ahead of the next Scottish Parliament election. While it will continue to meet, the Committee has agreed it will not consider petitions submitted after 10 October. This is to ensure all petitions currently in the system can be considered before the next Scottish Parliament election. It is also unlikely that the Committee would be able to schedule and meaningfully progress petitions submitted after 10 October before the election. Contact the Committee team at petitions.committee@parliament.scot for more information about the petitions process.
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Closed petition PE1944: Enforce engine idling ban
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to enforce the engine idling ban and take action to:
- Introduce instant £80 fines for offences
- Reclassify idling as a high traffic offence
- Legally oblige local authorities to enforce the engine idling ban
- Create contact points for public reporting
- Increase anti-idling signage in public spaces
Previous action taken
I contacted John Swinney. His office responded to say that engine idling is already illegal and that councils already have the authority to issue fixed penalties. Local councils have stated that the legal powers to stop vehicles and check emissions are discretionary and local authorities have to apply to the government if they wish to use them.
Background information
Engine idling has become a national epidemic which poisons the air we breathe and reduces our children’s chances of surviving the escalating Climate Crisis.
The current law prohibiting idling is not fit for purpose, is futile and ignored by most councils and the police. Indeed the police routinely refuse to address it. Those councils that do take action are only scratching the surface of the issue.
We are in a Climate and Ecological Emergency that demands Emergency Action!
The 2021 IPCC report - “Code Red for Humanity” spells it out in simple terms. Our governments have failed to take the actions necessary to reduce emissions to limit global warming to a 1.5 degree rise. Engine idling is a perfect example of incompetent leadership in an emergency.
The true scale of idling in Scotland revealed that 1 in 5 drivers at some supermarkets left engines idling whilst they or partners went shopping.
This petition was considered by the Scottish Parliament
54 signatures