Anti-idling in the City of Maribyrnong

TAKE ACTION NOW – Email councillors and let them hear our voices that we want an anti-idling policy. (see below for a sample letter)

It’s time for Maribyrnong Council to put words into action regarding anti-idling. For years it has spoken about anti-idling but not acted. Vehicles left idling contribute to poor air pollution in our city. Idling releases a dangerous cocktail of emissions including carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrous oxides and other toxins that have harmful impacts on human health.

The City of Maribyrnong experiences some of the worst health outcomes in Australia that have a correlation with air pollution. These include lung cancer, heart failure, stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Hospital admission rates for children here aged 0-16 are 171% above the Australian average and Maribyrnong has the highest rates of adolescent asthma in Victoria.

Much of this pollution is due to the thousands of large old trucks using our streets, however air quality and respiratory experts say that any reduction in pollution will have a beneficial effect in an impacted population such as the City of Maribyrnong.

Research shows that children in childcare centres and primary schools can be exposed to the equivalent of 8 cigarettes a day from car exhaust—much of it from parents idling engines at pick-up and drop-off.

The evidence is clear: idling is unnecessary, harmful, and preventable. Kingsville Primary students have already shown leadership by successfully reducing idling outside their school. Maribyrnong Council has already acknowledged the issue in its Integrated Transport Strategy (2012) and Air Quality Improvement Plan (2022)—but the community is still waiting for action.

The Conversation recently wrote a story that reported on a trial anti-idling program carried out at two schools in Melbourne’s west. The results were very promising and showed a reduction in air pollution levels. Tackling car idling is one of the simplest actions that can cut emissions and reduce how many pollutants schoolchildren inhale.

We need Maribyrnong Council to put an anti-idling policy into Local Laws—to protect children’s health, cut emissions, and make our city safer and cleaner.

TAKE ACTION NOW – Email councillors and let them hear our voices that we want an anti-idling policy.

Not sure what to write? Here’s a sample-

Dear Councillors

I am writing to ask that you implement an anti-idling law in the City of Maribyrnong.

There is clear evidence that reducing idling vehicles makes our air cleaner and safer for our children.

Council has included anti-idling in a number of policies over the years including the Integrated Transport Strategy (2012) and the Air Quality Improvement Plan (2022), but our community is still waiting for meaningful action.

An anti-idling law would:

• Protect children’s health
• Reduce unnecessary carbon emissions
• Support Council’s climate and air quality commitments
• Set a clear standard for respectful, safe behaviour in our community

Please act now to make Maribyrnong a leader in cleaner, safer streets for our children and community.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Suburb]