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Fumes fines scheme gains mixed reviews
Wednesday 10th March 2010, 7:00PM GMT.
Plans to impose fines on motorists in Shrewsbury who leave their engines running as part of new plans to deal with poor air quality today received a mixed response from the public.
Public protection bosses at Shropshire Council are trying to push the measures through in a bid to slash emissions at several hotspots around the town. The sites include Shrewsbury town centre, Heathgates island and the village of Bayston Hill.
Hotspot sites also include two in Whitburn Street and one in Pound Street, both in Bridgnorth.
But Peter Bettis, chairman of Shrewsbury Business Chamber, today claimed that issuing fixed penalty notices to motorists who leave their engines running while standing idle was not the correct solution.
He said: “I think if you can get traffic moving then modern car emissions are now much better and if you can get away from some of the congestion hotspots such as the Welsh Bridge then the air quality will improve.
“I am not a supporter of fining people for making emissions, the MoT test should be picking up things like that. If they can improve traffic flow we would all be happier.”
Suzanne Bell, of Bayston Hill, said she feared it would be another reason to target motorists.
“I don’t think people will be too happy if they are forced to turn off their engines when they are just picking someone up from the shops for a moment,” she said.
But others claim it is a good idea to improve air quality.
Doug Allan, traffic representative for Shrewsbury Town Centre Residents’ Association, said they were in support of the council’s new measures.
He said they also included new special emission zones, car sharing schemes and improved Park & Ride facilities.
He said: “It’s of benefit to all users of the town and is not something which works against businesses.
“In fact it can make it more attractive to visitors and will encourage even more people to come.
“Fining people is going towards the extremes and is always a last resort and one would hope that a better way is to control their vehicles and not go to the length of fines but sometimes you have to use it as the ultimate deterrent to persuade people.”
By Russell Roberts
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Just another penalty for the honest car owner. We pay enough for insurance, tax and petrol. why not get all the uninsured,no tax or disquailified drivers off the roads, that would help cut down on ommissions.
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There has been no consideration of the impracticalities of the switch off of engines in traffic.
One point being that there are many vehicles that will not re-start without the driver removing the key from the ignition, then locking the doors using the remote control fob, then unlock them again before one can re-start the engine.
This will increase emissions even further as few cars will be able to cross the traffic light or negotiate the roundabout in the same period of time.
This needs to be re thought, not only the environmental aspects should be considered. a large number of vehicles wouldn’t even be in the town if we had the north west relief road the the environmentalists have opposed for many years.
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Stop cutting down all the trees. This would aid in the reduction of co2 in the air!!!
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I too am disgusted by the poor quality of the emissions that I’ve been reading on these pages. I think any over-ambitious policy wonk desperate to be seen to be ‘working’ at Shropshire Council caught wilfully emitting useless hot air and unworkable guff, even for a minute, should be fined on the spot. Zero tolerance towards those caught pushing pens to our young people please.
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Another over reaction via short sighted town planners that turned a blind eye to an inevitable situation. First of all Shrewsbury is an oxbow with limited access and bridges that were built long before the invention of the Tin Lizzy and the population doubled. I have only just entered my 40′s and in that short space of time seen a multi story car-park erected and pulled down again. Secondly, I see no reason what so ever for traffic to enter the town centre via Wyle Cop unless you are severally physically handicapped and have a need not a desire. I cant for the love of me understand why a multi story car-park has not been built on the Frankwell car-park site and on the Greyfriars site with an access road to Coleham. Is it perhaps that it wouldn’t leave enough money for new council buildings theatres and expensive concrete monuments that can only be seen and appreciated from afore mentioned buildings?
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Where do these people think up these ideas? I would like to ask if this latest brainwave will include buses,whose diesel fumes cause more polution than to-days lead free cars.
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How on earth can you implement this at an island? Should you just drive onto the island regardless of traffic so you don’t stand idle polluting the atmosphere? Or maybe you should turn your engine off when stuck in traffic causing more congestion when you need to get going again – what a stupid and reckless idea!
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Close the town centre to all taffic except buses, taxis and the disabled ( apparently nobody uses it anymore anyway ). And don’t listen to anyone who claims to be the Traffic Representative Of The Shrewsbury Town Centre Residents Association.
That should help..
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Who are these people that come up with these ideas..my god we are paying them to sit on there fat bottoms & think up great ideas like this.
Just to had to Colin u’s comment, I to have to take my key from the ignition & place a sensor against reader to switch alarm off!!!!. I really would like to meet these Public protection bosses, please, please.
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have a massive protest—take a week to restart
then watch the jam behind you
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good idea.
obviously no knowledge of vehicles though.
Apart from the security problem (having to take the key out, then in again) there is the pollution problem. catalytic converters have to be hot to work. More than a minute waiting and they will be too cool to work for a few minutes after starting. And diesels emit a cloud of soot every time they start anyway…all diesels.
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The council could make a great contribution itself by finishing off all their own road works and get out of town. Re-configuring the lights at Frankwell and Welsh Bridge (now the old SABC council are no longer at the Guildhall) would also help speed the flow through the town until the new by-pass is built.
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And how, exactly, would this nonsense be enforced?
Ah. Of course. By employing new “Pollution Enforcement Officers”. More of our cash paying for non-jobs created by feckless, drooling, idiots trying to justify their own non-jobs.
If one of the “officers” tries to fine me for leaving my engine idling for more than the permitted 20 seconds, that odd sensation the officer will feel will be my boot up his / her @rse
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