WEE COUNTY motorists have been urged to switch off their car engines when sitting in their vehicles in a bid to cut air pollution.

Provost Tina Murphy and Depute Provost Donald Balsillie are backing the national appeal to reduce idling, and hope to see more commuters ditch the car and walk, cycle or use public transport.

The two councillors, as well as the council’s regulatory services manager Ian Doctor, gathered at Alloa’s air pollution monitor alongside the A907 in the town centre on Clean Air Day last Thursday, June 21, to spread the message.

They were backed by environmental health officers at a stand within the town hall who gave information to staff and the public.

Cllr Balsillie also highlighted the event at last week’s Planning Committee meeting and said: “As planning convenor, I thought it was absolutely fundamental important that we got behind Clean Air Day.

“The key thing for people is not to idle their engines. You sometimes see people sitting parked somewhere with their engines running, but by switching off they create a safer, healthier environment.

“The members of the planning committee realised the importance of clean air and that it must be carried forward into policies.

“A lot of the planning legislation is founded on the need to ensure there is clean air and water. It’s one of the basics for human life.

“Clean Air Day recognised the importance of this issue and with June 21 also being the longest day of the year, it was especially important to support this campaign.”

John Bynorth, policy and communications officer at Environmental Protection Scotland, which co-ordinated Clean Air Day in Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government’s Cleaner Air For Scotland (CAFS) strategy, was delighted to hear off the support in Clacks.

He added: “If local people in Clackmannanshire take just one action, such as walking or cycling their children to school or walking or using public transport to get to work, air quality will improve dramatically leading to better, healthier, lives for everyone – especially children.”