What you can do to help reduce air pollution

Switch off your engine

Switch off your engine when you are not moving – this one simple action can cut pollution by up to 30%, saves fuel, saves money and helps protect yours and your loved ones’ health.

Switching on and off does not damage your car. In a bid to bust this myth Transport for London tested cars by repeatedly turning them on and off over 100 times in an hour. They found there was no loss of performance or damage to the engine or battery from doing so.

Additionally, according to the RAC, sitting with the engine running for 10 seconds uses more fuel than switching off and on.

Bust more myths around keeping your engine running when you are not moving.

Walk, cycle, scoot

Try walking, cycling or scooting instead of driving for short distances. A quarter of all car journeys in Colchester are under 2 miles long, and short car journeys pollute more. If everyone walked, cycled or scooted even one of these journeys a week it would make a huge difference.

You can reduce your pollution exposure by up to 50% by walking and cycling away from busy roads. Make the most of those quiet side streets and green spaces and make your journey healthier and more enjoyable.

Car share

Car sharing is a great way to reduce air pollution while saving money and having friendly company on your journey. By car sharing, you’ll be taking cars off the road reducing unnecessary journey miles and reducing your contribution to air pollution.

Using public transport can also be a quicker and easier way to get around Colchester and reduce your air pollution footprint.

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