The March edition of Roadway Magazine discusses the London no-idling campaign which is aimed at cutting out harmful emissions ahead of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has launched a no engine idling campaign to improve air quality and cut harmful emissions ahead of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

All drivers are encouraged to turn off their engines when their vehicles are stationary for more than a minute – when parking, loading or unloading, for example.

According to Transport for London, which is delivering the campaign, if all drivers in central London switched off their engine for one minute a day rather than idling unnecessarily it could reduce annual PM10 emissions by the equivalent of a car travelling to the mood and back three times.

“Turning off engines when stationary for more than a minute creates a host of positive benefits by reducing pollution and using less petrol. This small individual step can collectively make a massive difference and help improve our city,” says Johnson.

The campaign, part of a package of measures introduced by the Mayor to tackle the biggest sources of pollution, highlights the health benefits of reducing harmful emissions to help prevent and alleviate illnesses such as asthma, heart and lung conditions.

Government research suggests that poor air quality contributes to around 4,300 premature deaths in London each year.

Air quality initiatives are expected to reduce PM10 emissions in the city by a third by 2015.

For more information please visit www.roadway.co.uk.