Staffordshire schools are being encouraged to turn off their engines to help improve air quality across the county.

As part of the county council’s Air Aware campaign, drivers are being encouraged to pledge not to idle outside schools, as part of Clean Air Day on June 20. Air pollution is about 30 per cent higher outside schools due to idling cars and causes illnesses and health conditions like asthma.

Staffordshire County Council’s Active School Travel team works with schools across the county to carry out many initiatives and activities to encourage sustainable travel such as walking, cycling or scootering.

Greener travel choices not only improves air quality but also has many physical and mental health and wellbeing benefits to get children’s days off to a good start.

Ryan Procter, school travel advisor at Staffordshire County Council said: “Our Air Aware campaign is really simple and will helps raise everyone’s awareness of the small, easy things we can all do to reduce air pollution and help us all breathe easier.

“In the run up to Clean Air Day, we are encouraging schools to support us in asking parents make one small change in how they travel to school. This could involve walking or cycling to school once a week or turning off your engine when stationary.

By reducing harmful air pollution together, we could make a huge difference to the quality of air we breathe in as well as improving our long-term health and wellbeing.”

PIC-STAFFORDSHIRE CC