Education Minister Dr Alex Allinson is backing calls for motorists on the school run to switch off their engines while waiting to collect children.

Bill Henderson MLC has been campaigning for tougher action against motorists who leave engines running when a car is parked and last week in Tynwald he turned his attention to those on the school run.

Dr Allinson said signs in school car parks, asking motorists to switch off their engines, were one option.

’A lot of this is obviously about education, both in terms of children and parents, but also schools in terms of the risks involved with pollution and the way it can affect young lungs,’ he said.

’Certainly, I would not want to put teachers in the responsibility of having to police a system, but I am quite happy to work with the Minister for Infrastructure (Ray Harmer) to look at appropriate signage.’

He said it would fit in with the government’s active travel strategy, which aimed to encourage more people to find alternatives to the car when going to school.

Kerry Sharpe MLC asked if the Department of Education, Sport and Culture would run a campaign on the issue.

The minister replied: ’I will take this to the Education Council. We will look at resources that are available and see if we can get something across all schools in the near future.’

Dr Allinson added the issue of motorists leaving their engines running when it was wider than just those on the school run.