Drivers who sit in their cars with their engines running are being targeted.

Waltham Forest Council officers and councillors joined residents and schoolchildren talking to people in their cars outside Walthamstow Central train station, asking them to turn off their engines.

The initiative was held as part of Clean Air Day, on June 21.

The anti-idling operation targeted taxis and those picking up friends and family from the borough’s busiest rail and tube station.

Earlier this month, the council set a new air quality action plan, encouraging more people to walk and cycle and training more than 30 children to be air quality ambassadors for their schools.

Councillors and council staff made personal pledges today for how they would help improve air quality.

Council leader Cllr Clare Coghill committed to continue walking and cycling and deputy leader and cabinet member for the environment Cllr Clyde Loakes pledged to support initiatives which deliver car-free school runs across the borough.

Cllr Loakes said: “We know that air quality is a huge concern for our residents and sadly around 270 people in the borough die from illnesses related to poor air quality every year.

“Cars and vans are the largest contributors to poor air quality. We can all make a big difference to our health and the health of others by choosing to leave our cars at home and travelling around either on foot or by bike.

“Protecting the lungs of our youngest residents is a major priority for me, which is why we hold regular anti-idling operations outside the borough’s schools and we work with our schools to develop School Travel Plans which encourages staff alongside parents and children to walk or cycle to school rather than drive or be driven.

“It’s great that in three years we have gone from just three schools with TfL accredited travel plans to over 40.”

According to figures from the Mayor of London’s office, a third of car journeys in London could be walked in 25 minutes and nearly half could be cycled in just ten.

Sadiq Khan announced the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone earlier this year which will see the zone extend to the North Circular Road in 2021.

Cars with the highest emission levels will face a daily charge for driving in the Zone.