Taxi Driver Online

South Warwickshire taxi driver fined after being caught smoking in his vehicle

A taxi driver from Stratford has been issued a Fixed Penalty Notice for smoking in his vehicle.

Licensing officers from Stratford District Council witnessed the driver, who has not been named, caught the driver in act while he was driving a Hackney Carriage vehicle.

Officers issued the Fixed Penalty Notice of £50, which has been paid.

Cllr Christopher Kettle, legal and community safety portfolio at the district council, said: “The legislation to prevent smoking in smoke-free places was introduced to protect members of the public from the harmful effects of second-hand cigarette smoke.

“It is illegal to smoke in any commercial vehicle carrying members of the public, including taxis and private hire vehicles. The legislation requires all vehicles used for public transport to be smoke-free at all times which includes when they do not have passengers. Equally taxi drivers have a greater responsibility in that they need to protect the public health of their passengers.”

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IDFIMH

Guessing there's not a lot for councillors to do in that area if they issue a press release for something as trivial as that.

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IDFIMH

...but not enough time for the press to compose something without clunky grammar and sentence construction

So that's the fault of the press rather than the council, and for a change it's not a simple rehash. And a lot of the press release has been left out, presumably because of the level of detail about smoke absorbed into 'soft furnishings' and the like


Taxi driver issued with Fixed Penalty Notice for smoking

https://www.stratford.gov.uk/news/press ... tem/137930

A taxi driver, from Stratford-upon-Avon has been issued a Fixed Penalty Notice from Stratford-on-Avon District Council for smoking in their vehicle.

Licensing officers from the District Council, witnessed the driver, who has not been named, in possession of a lit cigarette, whilst driving a Hackney Carriage vehicle.

Officers issued the Fixed Penalty Notice of £50, under the Health Act 2006, Section 7 (Offence of smoking in a smoke free place) to a licensed driver.

Cllr Christopher Kettle, Legal and Community Safety Portfolio at the District Council said: "The legislation to prevent smoking in smoke free places was introduced to protect members of the public from the harmful effects of second-hand cigarette smoke.

"It is illegal to smoke in any commercial vehicle carrying members of the public, including taxis and private hire vehicles. The legislation requires all vehicles used for public transport to be smoke free at all times which includes when they do not have passengers. Equally taxi drivers have a greater responsibility in that they need to protect the public health of their passengers."

Following the incident, the driver was reminded of his legal responsibility to ensure that his vehicle is smoke free and that smoking inside any licensed vehicle will not be tolerated.

The Fixed Penalty Notice was paid immediately and in full.

On 1 July 2007 England became 'smoke free'. The Health Act 2006 was introduced to protect employees and the public from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke which prohibited smoking in virtually all enclosed public places, workplaces and public and work vehicles.

Penalty for smoking in a smoke free premises or vehicles: A fixed penalty notice of £50 (discounted to £30 if paid in 15 days) imposed on the person smoking.

Licensed vehicles are also required by law to display 'No Smoking' signs covered by the legislation. A 'No Smoking' sign should be displayed in a prominent position in each compartment of the vehicle, which is wholly or partly covered by a roof, including the driver's compartment.

The legislation requires all vehicles used for public transport to be smoke free at all times. This is because tobacco smoke is absorbed into soft furnishings and stays around for weeks after a cigarette is stubbed out, releasing particles hazardous to health. This means drivers are not allowed to smoke in their vehicles even if they don't have any passengers.

Very fussy press release style, with at least two commas there that I suspect most people wouldn't bother with (and by 'most people' I don't include the people at the other end of the scale who don't bother with punctuation at all).

And looks like it was rearranging the above that resulted in the press clanger earlier