UK drivers may face a fine if they leave their engine running while loading or unloading under plans announced by a council.
North Lincolnshire Council announced plans to levy £20 fines earlier this year in a bid to cut CO2 emissions.
Anyone found to have their engine running 'without reason' could be fined under the scheme, run by North Lincolnshire Council.
The fines will be issued by traffic wardens under the plans, should the driver refuse to turn the engine off when requested.
The move is likely to be monitored closely by those authorities considering introducing a similar charge in the near future.
"All motorists found to have left their engine running without reason will be in the first instance asked by a council officer to switch their engine off," said a spokesman for the council.
"The council would not target motorists who leave engines running for just a few seconds.
"It would be more serious offenders that are issued with fines, such as when engines are left on when unloading."
Nearly half of of motorists surveyed agreed with the plans in a poll on the issue, conducted by car supermarket Motorpoint.
It is clear from our poll that penalising drivers for leaving their engines running necessarily isn’t the anathema that some critics had suggested," said David Shelton, Motorpoint MD.