Drivers in Wales who leave their vehicle engine running while parked will face fines of up to £150 from today, 30th September 2026..
The change is part of a new measure by the Welsh government to try to reduce harmful pollution and to protect children's health.
The previous punishment for idling, as it is known, was £20, but that has now been raised to anywhere from £75 to £150, depending on circumstances.
The Welsh government said it hoped the increase would "change the habits of people who are polluting communities".
Llyr Gruffydd, cabinet minister for rural resilience and sustainability, said the £20 fixed fine for idling was "insufficient", and not being used "in the way everyone might envision it".
Increasing the fee that is available for local authorities to penalise drivers will be a "stronger deterrent", he added.
Rule 123 of the Highway Code already advises motorists to turn off their engines when stationary on a public road, and keeping an engine running while stopped is an existing offence in certain circumstances, potentially resulting in a criminal conviction or a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN).
Nevertheless, a Welsh Government survey reveals that just one in three people are actually aware it constitutes an offence.
The change is part of a new measure by the Welsh government to try to reduce harmful pollution and to protect children's health.
The previous punishment for idling, as it is known, was £20, but that has now been raised to anywhere from £75 to £150, depending on circumstances.
The Welsh government said it hoped the increase would "change the habits of people who are polluting communities".
Llyr Gruffydd, cabinet minister for rural resilience and sustainability, said the £20 fixed fine for idling was "insufficient", and not being used "in the way everyone might envision it".
Increasing the fee that is available for local authorities to penalise drivers will be a "stronger deterrent", he added.
Rule 123 of the Highway Code already advises motorists to turn off their engines when stationary on a public road, and keeping an engine running while stopped is an existing offence in certain circumstances, potentially resulting in a criminal conviction or a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN).
Nevertheless, a Welsh Government survey reveals that just one in three people are actually aware it constitutes an offence.
good to know, there will be some jobsworth willing to walk up and down to report someone, another way of sucking the money out of a motorist.