When The Emissions are Still High Norwich May Have The Answer

So you are committed to cleaning up your city centre and in the process gain a £416,000 grant through the cleaner bus technology fund just to do that and you still find that in certain parts of Norwich city, are exceeding European emission limits.

Lets Switch Off Our Engines

Well the latest suggestion is to fine lazy drivers who do not switch their engines off when stopped in traffic. Primarily this is aimed at Taxi drivers, but could be extended to other vehicle owners. Currently the Norwich Council is investigating whether this can be done legally or not.

How practical this would be to implement is yet not certain and almost certainly would involve city centre cameras, licence plate recognition and permanent security watchers on TV. But when some vehicles can throw out more C02 than others, when does is stop being fair and when does the cost of implementation become higher than the return? Busses now have start stop technology, so clearly would not be part of this solution.

The Other Side Of The Argument

From a driver point of view they would argue it is not their fault they are being forced to stop in the first place. If the city roads were not so congested then there would be no need to stop and could get to their destination quicker. Clearly the cost of fuel is a high part of any taxi drivers outlay, so most would prefer not to have to sop in the first place or at least urn less fuel.

It is the Environment act of 1995 that Norwich city council feel they have a legal right to fine lorry. bus and taxi drivers should they stop for a specific amount of time and do not shut off their engines, cutting down Nitrogen Oxide pollution.