Switching of engines at level crossings has been a regulation in force in many European countries over the last 20 years. It is hardly a revolutionary recommendation and why it needs "investigation" before implementation makes no sense.

H Tamber, Hitchin, UK

Firstly, West Sussex Council would actually achieve far more in terms of CO2 emissions if they were to force the closure of that ghastly overlit & overheated Butlins complex in Bognor Regis.

I'm sure there must be a competition for "the most cretinous Council Policy" going on in the UK right now.

John, Bournemouth,

RB Aberdeen - what has biofuel got to do with it - it sounds like you think it is a good thing to leave an engine running if it uses biofuel! How?

Biofuel is hardly green at all, just very marginally less bad than normal fuel (uses loads of fuel to plant/harvest/convert and uses up arable land)

Andrew, Cambridge,

Once again the lunatics rule the asylum. Cars, especially diesel-engined, are most efficient when warm and running. If you turn them off and then on again it wastes petrol and produces carbon monoxide and particulates. Let the driver on the spot decide what's best - we know what it costs!

richard, horley, uk

These people are so daft it beggars belief, if I turn my engine off the air conditioning will not work so on a hot day we will have to suffer, if there is a sick or elderly passenger on board thier health could be put in danger, what a stupid idea or just another one of Browns stealth taxes

Julian Hale, Stockton on Tees, County Durham

Sounds like UK is creeping into a Orwellian State.

I find these laws quite frightening how your daily lives/freedoms are being slowly eroded , no matter how insignificant the law.

Mr B, Dublin , Ireland

The added consumption through switchng on & off an engine is probably comparible if not more costly that leaving it running for the few minutes needed for a train to pass. This is simply another example of the public having to be ruled by imbeciles!

matt, Norwich, UK

Even in India they have counters on traffic lights, why can't we have them here?

Rob, Brum, UK

More harranging the motorist through eco-politics. There are many sources of CO2, many produce far higher levels than road transport. Why don't the tree-hugging, blinkered legislators surprise us for a change & look at the big picture for once. idiocy personified.

Andy P, Norfolk, UK

Would there be exceptions, such as keeping your heater/engine running on a cold morning, or the air con on a hot day? How long before this would become an automated fine via GPS tracking?

AndrewA, Stamford, UK

This is simply a politically correct but poorly thought out initiative. Why do our public sector bodies appear to assume that good british citizens are all generally stupid? Is it any wonder that respect and co-operation in UK society is breaking down?

Ian, Manchester, UK

Let's get a timer up at the crossing telling us how long we have to wait. If it's 5 minutes, I'll gladly turn my engine off, but for any less than 2 minutes it just isn't worth it. I'll use more fuel turning the car back on, wear my engine out faster and it won't be as "green" as they think anyway.

Paul, Taunton, Somerset

My father, an "atheist" when it comes to climate change, has done this since moving to a house 200 yards away from a level crossing - that was in 1979. He wou;ld be horrified to hear it may have Marxist connatations as he merely believes in spending his words on more pleasurable things.

Diana, Derby,

An engine will need a lot of fuel to start up.
Depending on how long you wait it may be better to leave your engine idling...
That's not considered.

D.C.M., Doncaster,

I really wonder about you folks who want to leave your engines idling. At the prices you're paying for petrol these days, it must be like listening to pound coins dropping out of your exhaust pipe :-)

James, Nevada, USA

Does Britain actually have laws of the land or do the unqualified and unmandated just continue to make it up as they go along ?
With complete impunity, it seems.
Why? Pollution ?
Better lay off the Bran flakes, worthy Lollipop Bearers, random emission testing for you is only just around the corner

Ron, Garfield,

Exactly how morronic are these people ?
All well and good if the law was not thoughtlessly used, but, just for an example, what if you are on the way to a garage to get the car repaired because it will not start without a push ?
Just an example you understand...

John Smith, Thetford, England

Also, many cars don't run as efficiently immediately after being turned off, neither do their catalytic converters. So I imagine this will make little difference unfortunately.

Martin, St Andrews, Scotland

"Is it not less fuel efficient to turn the engine on and off as opposed to have it run? "

NOT the point - point is it's something unthinking green people will support as it sounds good and if it sounds like it's green the facts don't matter.

+ the govt gets bit more money.

Steve, Llantwit Fardre, Wales

Ever thought some of us might have to leave our engines ticking over out of necessity? We dont all have sparkly new cars that start at the first touch!
If Im in a queue trying to get started after shutting down, then its going to cause anyone behind me to use more fuel than if I hadnt!

Bill Glanvill, Horsham, W Sussex

@Louise,
Lots of other countries DON'T have restrictions at all, if that's a criterion.

I was impressed how in winter, in northern Finland in the 70s, people left their engines running while they where in shops, so their cars stayed warm & ice - free.
Nobody stole them, that's true education !

Frank H., London.,

Yet another socialist money-raising scam. What what if your car runs on biofuel?

RB, Aberdeen,

The technology is certainly there to work out how long until the train has passed and display the time. People would really like to be told and would then be willing to react to it.

Rosemary Roberts, Germany,

Idle talk saves planets. Thing is, if you are not in Prius or snazzy Beemer, when is the right time to switch off, and even if there is one (must be, like for flourescent bulbs) how can it be assessed in advance (ever switched off in a jam after 5 minutes, only to find that's when it moves off?)

Peter , Ross on Wye, UK

Is it not less fuel efficient to turn the engine on and off as opposed to have it run?

Where is global warming? What happened to Summer this year? What difference would it make, other than to apply yet another tax to motorists.

Darren, Norwich, UK

What's the problem? I do this now - it's less wasteful, and you know to turn the ignition back on when the train has passed. A fine is perhaps a step too far, but it would be good practice for everyone to be encouraged to switch off when it's obvious you're not going anywhere

ali c, Reigate, UK

I think our country`s petty Napoleons find all this "on the spot" fining just a bit too easy. It must be made EQUALLY easy to dispute and oppose. Otherwise its just like getting a parking ticket - too many hoops to jump through to appeal. Or is that the whole point. Pay up and shut up - pleb.

Jim, Herts,

If you are going to wait more than a minute, then turning off your engine helps. Otherwise it's just a waste of fuel and an increase in pollution. We drivers need an indication of how long we will have to wait, so we know when it's best to switch off.

Ron, Milton Keynes, UK

Lots of other countries have engine idling restrictions, either as guidelines or by law. In some European countries it is as little as 10 seconds allowed, in others 40 seconds. 42 of the US states have laws regarding engine idling - mostly aimed at commercial vehicles.

Louise, Keighley, UK

This is what happens when you elect people whose heads are filled with Marxist nonsense...

James Adams, Lincoln,

Surely education rather than fines is the awnswer?

Luke, London, Uk

I would like to remind the Times this is 17th Sept 2008 and not the first of april or have the nutters realy got control of West Sussex Council
1 HOW LONG do you have to leave the engine idling for and Who is going to prove it
2.Is there going to be a large clock so you how long until the train

Steve sparkes, berrow, Somerset