Drivers in Hackney can now be fined £80 for needlessly leaving their engines running while stationary.
The new fine - up from £20 - is aimed at tackling the habit, known as idling, which causes spikes in localised pollution.
Vehicle pollution can exacerbate asthma, heart disease, and lung cancer, and lead to poor lung development in children.
Idling is particularly detrimental in areas where footfall is both high and people are vulnerable, such as at schools, around health centres and on high streets.
The council’s eco chief Cllr Jon Burke said: “If we’re to avoid a global warming catastrophe, our roads will need to look and feel very different in the near future, with more walking and cycling and fewer, cleaner, smaller, and slower motor vehicles on the streets.”
Council officers will visit hotspot areas to distribute leaflets to inform drivers about the dangers of engine idling, which is an offence under road traffic regulations.
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