The £20 car engine fine that has been dished out just once in over 3 years and is angering campaigners

Calls for an increase in the £20 fine for drivers leaving their engines running while parked have been rejected by ministers, angering backers of tougher measures.

The decision came despite a coalition of 20 environmental, health and transport organisations and unions seeking a four-fold rise in penalties to £80 per fine.

Motorists can be fined for leaving their engines idle if they refuse to switch off | Contributed

They said only one fine had been issued in Scotland over the past three-and-a-half years despite 1,158 complaints to more than 20 councils.

Fines were introduced in 2003, but drivers can only be charged if they refuse to switch off their engine when asked.

City of Edinburgh transport convener Stephen Jenkinson, who was among those calling for an increased deterrent, said fines were too low to change motorists’ behaviour.

He said: “At this stage, the Scottish Government is not looking to allow local authorities to increase the charge, and that’s a problem. The fine is not sufficient to make the behavioural change that we are looking to see.

“From the Scottish Government’s perspective, when people are asked, they will change their behaviour. But I’ve not seen any evidence to back that up.

“You always need a little bit of stick to go with your carrot, and the fact the fine has never increased since it was introduced shows it’s not really a priority for the Scottish Government.”

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Mr Jenkinson said enforcement was made more difficult because it could only be done by council officials with other duties like dog fouling - not by parking attendants who deal with problem parking. However, he said the council would redouble efforts to crack down on vehicle idling around schools.

A poster for the Engine Off, Every Stop campaign in London | Contributed

The convener said: “The evidence would suggest children are more affected by particulate matter from idling vehicles’ emissions than adults because they are closer to it as they are lower down, and their lungs aren’t developed sufficiently to handle the fumes.

“We do need to have a focus on that area. I need to encourage officers to ensure they are tackling vehicle idling predominately at our education estates as a priority.”

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David Hunter, convener of the Edinburgh group of pedestrian campaigners Living Streets, said: "If the Scottish Government's concern about air quality justifies the creation of low emission zones, it makes no sense whatsoever to freeze penalties for engine idling for decades.

“Penalties must be sufficiently high to make it economic for councils to enforce legislation.”

John Adeolu, community project manager of the Edinburgh Air Pollution Programme, said: “While increasing the fine level could help deter this behaviour, it will not make the difference we need unless it is backed by visible and consistent enforcement.”

Scottish Greens MSP Mark Ruskell said: “Increasing the fine for idling is a positive step towards reducing transport emissions, but it must be part of action plans by councils to drive down pollution, including an expansion of low emission zones.”

Net Zero and Energy Secretary Gillian Martin said evidence from councils “suggest the vast majority of idling drivers switch off their engines when requested and therefore very few fixed penalties are issued”. “With this being the case, we have no current plans to increase the level of fines for engine idling,” she said.

However, she said the Scottish Government was reviewing the law with councils.