TWO volunteers from Camelford Clean Air Group, Sandra Holsey and deputy mayor Cllr Claire Hewlett, joined with Cornwall Council for the ‘no idling’ event for Clean Air Day.

Cllr Hewlett said: “We were asking drivers to switch off their engines when stationary for more than a minute, which Cornwall Council say can reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions by 20 to 30%.”

Cornwall Council’s chosen point for this exercise was the traffic lights where the road narrows, which coincides with the area of highest pollution.

Sandra said: “There really isn’t time at the traffic lights, unless there are tailbacks, but today the traffic was flowing relatively quickly.”

Cllr Hewlett added: “Most people didn’t turn their engines off — some did, but the majority didn’t. Newer vehicles turn off automatically.”

They also went up to the primary school car park and spoke to parents picking up their children.

No idling is part of Cornwall Council’s air quality action plan for Camelford, but if this experience is anything to go by, it’s a ‘totally inappropriate solution for the situation’.

Claire and Sandra added: “There is only one solution to the problem, and that’s getting through traffic out of town, which means a bypass or an alternative route for HGVs.”