Is there a law against leaving the engine running in a parked vehicle?
<p>So let's say the scenario is people parking on a public road in close proximity to homes (no gardens or footpath between houses and road), and waiting for 10-20 minutes with their engines running.</p>

<p>Would those people be in breach of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (RTA), or something else, that can be explicitly referenced?</p>

<p>I know the Highway Code includes the following with respect to parking (at para 214) 'you MUST switch off the engine' and it references section 42 of RTA, but it is unclear to me how the two are related.</p>

<p>I should have done my research properly, hopefully this will be indexed and be helpful to someone else in the future.</p>

<p>The specific legislation is The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 regulation 98:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Stopping of engine when stationary</strong></p>
  
  <p>98.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), the driver of a vehicle shall, when the vehicle is stationary, stop the action of any machinery attached to or forming part of the vehicle so far as may be necessary for the prevention of noise.</p>
  
  <p>(2) The provisions of paragraph (1) do not apply—</p>
  
  <p>(a) when the vehicle is stationary owing to the necessities of traffic;</p>
  
  <p>(b) so as to prevent the examination or working of the machinery where the examination is necessitated by any failure or derangement of the machinery or where the machinery is required to be worked for a purpose other than driving the vehicle; or</p>
  
  <p>(c) in respect of a vehicle propelled by gas produced in plant carried on the vehicle, to such plant.</p>
</blockquote>

united-kingdom traffic