Taxi Driver Online

Somerset taxi drivers fined over smoking in their cabs

Councils in Somerset have handed out 22 fines to bus, coach and taxi drivers caught smoking in their vehicles.

The £50 fines have been imposed since the 2007 law against smoking in public.

A recent clampdown in Taunton Deane saw six drivers fined. Private hire and Hackney Carriage vehicles are regarded as public spaces under the law.

Taunton Deane councillor Ken Hayward said: "We felt standards were slipping and decided to take a more formal approach with on-the-spot fines."

Mendip District Council has issued a total 26 fines since 2007, three of which were handed to taxi drivers.

In Bath and North East Somerset and West Somerset council areas, no smoking fines have been issued.

But South Somerset District Council has issued nine fines for drivers of public vehicles such as taxis, buses and coaches.

Since 2002, Sedgemoor District Council banned smoking in taxis but issues penalty points for any driver caught smoking in their cabs.

However drivers have been able to avoid getting points if their cab is professionally valeted and a receipt is shown to the council as proof.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-15817010

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Anyway, I'm quite sure the figures quoted are just the tip of the iceberg.

Perhaps it would be more realistic if they said that the ban was unenforceable rather than quoting misleading figures.