LOCAL Liberal Democrats who have campaigned for no idling zones outside schools have backed a move to give local authorities more powers to issue fines to idling vehicles

Liberal Democrat Climate Change spokesperson Wera Hobhouse MP tabled a bill in Parliament on Wednesday, World Environment Day.

The Bill will increase penalties for vehicle idling offences, as well as increasing fines for those who repeatedly offend.

Bradford Lib Dem spokesperson for the Environment Councillor Riaz Ahmed said: "We welcome this move to give local authorities the power to stop people idling their car engines outside schools which according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) is at illegal levels in almost 90% of urban areas."

Lib Dem councillors on Bradford Council raised the issue of air pollution following a report into air quality which showed Bradford had a 4.2 per cent mortality rate attributable to particulate air pollution in 2015, equating to around 2,300 years of life lost per year due to the health effects of particulates.

Last year the Liberal Democrat Group on Bradford Council tabled a motion for debate requesting no-idling zones outside local primary schools which was defeated.

In the debate Coun Brendan Stubbs (Bolton and Undercliffe) said one of the biggest issues was cars outside schools left with their engines idling.

The Lib Dem Councillors say they are continuing their own work including taking samples of air outside some local schools and busy junctions.

The party says the legislation that has been tabled is a crucial step in tackling the air pollution crisis. It will allow local authorities to clamp down on idling without the need to apply to the Government first, and it will enable them to increase fines on repeat offenders.