Plans to crackdown on idling drivers in Bromley are set to take major steps forward next week.

In a bid to improve air quality, which is high on the council’s agenda, councillors are to discuss fining drivers who flout warnings to shut their engines off.

A new report, to be debated at a meeting on Wednesday, August 28, explains that the authority will hire two new enforcement officers as part of the crackdown.

They will focus on improving air quality in areas around schools and children’s clubs.

Officers said in a new report: “These two council enforcement officers would be involved in both educating drivers parked with their engines running and in issuing PCNs/FPNs to any driver who ignores the education, ignores a warning issued and lets their engine run.

“It is proposed that the main focus for enforcement will be around schools and children’s clubs, such as dance studios, about which the Council has received correspondence from concerned parents, citing examples of other parents/carers sitting in cars with engines running, whilst children are waiting on the footway nearby.”

Drivers will be first warned about their engine idling, and given a fine as a “last resort”, according to council papers.

It comes following the publishing of the council’s third Local Implementation Plan, which recognised the impact idling engines was having on the borough’s air.

Residents appear to agree with the council’s plans, with more than half surveyed as part of the LIP strongly backing idea.

Officers said: “Bromley’s third Local Implementation Plan recognises idling vehicles as a cause of unnecessary emissions, and committed the borough to participate in the London-wide anti-idling campaign funded from the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund, including investigate powers to discouraging unnecessary idling.”

Steps will also be taken to educate residents on the dangers of idling, which creates unnecessary and dangerous emissions.

Several councils, such as nearby Southwark, already carry similar schemes with mixed results – some authorities are yet to issue a fine.