Whitley Bay school backs campaign to cut air pollution

Children in North Tyneside are showing their support to a campaign to help reduce localised air pollution.

North Tyneside Council launched an anti-idling campaign to encourage motorists to switch off their engines when stationary – and Rockcliffe First School, in Whitley Bay, is the latest to back the campaign.

Headteacher Sharron Colpitts-Elliott said: “Our school community is very considerate so if any drivers do happen to leave their engines running nearby, we know it would be completely unintentional – that’s why this campaign is so important to raise awareness about the harm vehicle idling can do. We look forward to working further with the Go Smarter team on the anti-idling campaign.

“The campaign also supplements our projects within school to help to tackle climate change and be more sustainable, which includes an allotment we have created in our playground in support of our Sow! Grow! Cook! Eat! project, which has kept on growing and developing over the years. Each February, we take part in the Climate Coalition’s Show the Love campaign and we’re busy once again making green hearts from recycled materials.

“We regularly held our own climate marches around the building and grounds before the arrival of Covid restrictions and hope that they will be able to resume soon! We’re aware of the link between climate change and problems for farmers around the world and look forward to highlighting this issue during Fairtrade Fortnight.”

Many schools in the borough have supported the council’s campaign, which includes a visit and support from the Go Smarter team, provided by the council’s partner Capita, which works with schools to promote sustainable and active travel.

The team’s primary focus is to reduce motor traffic around schools to improve safety, congestion and air quality, but some driving inevitably continues. But the message for those who cannot switch to other modes of travel is to at least help reduce pollution by parking away from the gate and turning off their engine.

The Go Smarter team have sent an offer to all schools to work with pupils in putting up anti-idling stickers on lamp posts next to where people might park outside schools.

In addition to this, the team deliver assemblies in schools on active travel, road safety and air pollution where the anti-idling message is also being shared.

It is something that Cllr Sandra Graham, cabinet member for Environment, is passionate about. She said: “Air pollution poses a serious environmental risk to our health, and we will continue to do all we can to tackle it and raise awareness of the dangers of it, particularly vehicle idling.

“Vehicle idling is a major factor in poor air quality, particularly in areas with large numbers of waiting vehicles – such as outside schools. Turning our engines off when stationary is an easy but effective way to improve it and protect the health of one another.

“Improving local air quality is also an important part of our plans to work towards being a carbon net zero borough by 2030, 20 years ahead of the Government’s target date.

We are absolutely committed to safeguarding this borough for generations to come and we are delighted we have already reduced the council’s carbon footprint by 52 per cent and the borough’s by 41 per cent in recent years.”

The council has made significant inroads in reducing its carbon footprint through a range of projects, which has seen an ongoing programme to replace all streetlights with energy-efficient LEDs; use of more electric vehicles; vast improvements to the energy efficiency of council homes and buildings; sustainable transport routes; plans and consultations for sustainable travel options; tree planting and biodiversity areas; and more.

Stationary idling is an offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988 and The Royal College of Physicians says it is a major contributor to the estimated 40,000 deaths a year linked to air pollution.

Schools in North Tyneside can email gosmarter@northtyneside.gov.uk if they would like to be involved in the campaign.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

In November 2012 Capita entered into a partnership with North Tyneside Council to deliver a range of technical services: engineering; property; planning; building control and public protection.