Traffic wardens will be able to fine drivers who leave their engines idling when they pull over under new plans to improve air quality.

West Sussex County Council has agreed to investigate a scheme giving officers power to hand out penalties to motorists who fail to switch off their vehicles when they are at a standstill.

The punishments would initially only be handed out around the Shoreham area, where an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) has been set up, but be expanded across the county if they prove successful.

The council said they would specifically target areas where exhaust emissions build up unnecessarily, such as at railway crossings or in town centres.

It wants to get people out of the habit of leaving their cars ticking over out of convenience. Signs are already in place at level crossings asking people to switch their engines off.

A council spokesman said: "We would stress that this is just an investigation at this stage. If it was ever introduced the fixed penalty would probably be £20. But we would hope that the vast majority of motorists would be willing to co-operate and not leave their engines idling."

He said there would be exemptions for lorries with freezer units and others that have to keep their engines running.

The spokesman said: "There are two air quality management areas in Shoreham, the High Street and the A270 area. Air pollution is a particularly important health issue for our residents particularly those with with asthma, lung and heart conditions."

Under the plan traffic wardens will be instructed to issue a warning to any drivers they catch leaving their cars idling.

If the motorist refuse to comply with the instruction they will then be issued with a fixed penalty notice.

Taxi driver Dave Medwin, from the Adur Cab Company in Shoreham, said: "It's a good idea as a way to help stop the pollution. Sometimes you can sit at the level crossing in Shoreham for ten minutes before the gates go up and a lot of drivers do leave their motors running.

"The question is, is it going too far? I'm not sure many people will take kindly to it if they are given tickets."

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