Adare Tidy Towns launches its “Clean Air for Adare-Yellow Bus” campaign over the upcoming May Bank Holiday weekend, which will raise awareness on the benefits of using the Idle Stop or Stop/Start system and encourage drivers to use this function in their vehicles while driving through “Ireland’s Prettiest Village” and help to reduce CO2 emissions.  

Tidy Towns is not just about keeping the streets of Adare clean; it is also about trying to keep the air quality of the village clean and this is the reason that ATT, the Junior Tidy Towns and the Green Schools programme have decided to launch the “Clean Air for Adare-Yellow Bus” campaign.  

More than 100,000 vehicles will travel through Adare over the Bank Holiday weekend and this will lead to a significant increase in CO2 emissions. 

What is idling?  Idling is leaving an engine running while the vehicle is stationary.  

Reducing idling leads to cleaner roadside air especially in areas of congestion and anyone who travels through the village of Adare will know how congested the village gets at certain times of the day and over busy weekends.  

Transport leads to about 18% of CO2 emissions in Ireland every year, with the private car carrying the most significant carbon footprint.   The campaign will encourage all drivers to be aware of the significance of using the Idle Stop or Stop Go function in vehicles, not only in Adare village but also in every city, town, village, school setting or health care setting throughout the country. 

 CO2 emissions could be reduced by 1.4 million tonnes per year if drivers stopped idling for just three minutes a day – the equivalent of taking 320,000 cars off the road!  

Research shows that using the Idle Stop or Stop Start function increases fuel efficiency by almost 10% and reduces CO2 emissions of vehicles by more than 20%.  

Adare Tidy Towns has salvaged timber and paint from households and recycling centres to create signs to promote the campaign.  “Engine Off” signs will be placed outside Scoil Naomh Iosaf Boys school to encourage parked motorists to switch off their engines while temporarily parked there.