South Lanarkshire Council

As part of the council's commitment to improving air quality a total of 1617 vehicles were tested by environmental health officers with the encouraging figures revealing that drivers in South Lanarkshire are looking after their vehicles

Drivers were given information on how their vehicle was performing and were advised on the measures they could take to reduce pollution from their vehicle which not only benefit the environment but also save money in terms of improved fuel economy.

Vehicle emission testing is a basic aspect of the MOT test however faults and defects that cause harmful emissions can develop in less than 12 months. It is therefore essential that vehicles are properly serviced and maintained throughout the year.

As a motorist there are a number of measures you can take to reduce pollution from your vehicle including:

• make sure the vehicle is regularly maintained - check the tuning, emission controls and tyre pressures
• don't make unnecessary journeys - short trips use a lot of fuel, (especially if the engine is cold) walk, cycle or use public transport more
• only use air conditioning or climate control when you need it - these systems use additional fuel
• drive slowly - driving slower than 60mph will reduce emissions, save fuel and save you money
• drive gently - hard acceleration and sudden stops increase fuel consumption
• switch off the engine - if you are stuck in traffic for more than a minute turn the engine off

The decisions we make about how we look after our vehicles, how we drive our vehicles and the alternative travel choices that we make will have an impact on our air quality. Even these small changes could help reduce pollution.

More advice can be obtained from South Lanarkshire's Waste and Environmental Services by emailing customer.services@southlanarkshire.gov.uk or call 0845 7406080. And for information on air quality in South Lanarkshire and across Scotland please go to www.scottishairquality.co.uk