Major change could be coming for Solihull school pick-up times as councillors say they've had enough

Relief for choking school children as parents set to be forced to switch car engines off

Solihull councillors have shown their commitment to stamping out car idling outside schools in a bid to protect children's growing lungs from pollution. Councils across the country have attempted to get parents and guardians to switch engines off while waiting at the gates to pick their children up from school and now Solihull is looking to take action.

Introducing his motion at the latest full council meeting Green councillor Max McLoughlin highlighted car idling was the most prominent response to the authority’s recent air quality strategy consultation with the public. “As an asthma sufferer I can tell you the places I most don’t want to walk around are schools at closing time,” Coun McLoughlin said.

“People arrive early and ‘book’ their place on the road. There is public support for additional measures.” The councillor said education hadn’t worked in preventing car idling, while the current regulations were “insufficient”.

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His motion called for an investigation into the introduction of ‘public space protection orders’ - where fixed penalty notices would be allowed to be issued to anyone sitting in the car with their engine on. Earlier in the meeting Coun McLoughlin presented a petition from residents of Clifton Crescent and other roads in his Shirley South ward calling for action on car idling.

“Not only does it cause a nuisance but it is also anti-social and impacts the air both residents and children have to breathe,” the petition said. Conservative councillor Andy Mackiewicz, the cabinet holder for climate change and planning, proposed an amendment to the motion.

“We as a (Conservative) group agree this is a serious issue and we have got to take it seriously," Coun Mackiewicz said. “EV cars will not emit those gases. In this borough we are very successful, we have got more EV cars per head of population than anywhere in the UK.

"We are progressing that. We don’t have a problem with the motion but we want to take a step back and do this in more detail.”

His amendment added that the council commit to investigating the introduction of orders “and other methods”; review their effectiveness and have a report come back to the authority for further consideration. “We will do it with full member involvement, full transparency," he added.

"It is a bit premature to make policy in this council chamber now - we should go through a proper officer review.” Coun McLoughlin said: “Whilst I do prefer the original text (of his motion) I think it is important we do have a spirit of cooperation.

“If this amendment is a way in which we move closer towards further enforcement and having the behavioural change, I will be supporting it in the hope this is a way we get progress on this.” The amendment received cross party support as councillors voted in favour of it during the meeting held at the Civic Suite on October 8.

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