All of Britain”s railways are to become completely smoke-free from 1 July - much to the ire of the pro-choice lobby.
Smoking in English public places will be prohibited from 1 July, bringing the country into line with similar bans in Scotland and Wales, with a blanket ban on lighting up on all 1,900 station concourses, ticket halls, covered and uncovered platforms, footbridges and subways, as well as retail and food outlets.
The legislation will also apply to railway and station offices, canteens and workplace areas covered by the law, although smoking will be allowed on most station forecourts and in uncovered station parks.
”Smoking has been prohibited on trains for some years and the railways are now playing their part to comply with smoke-free legislation that has been broadly welcomed in Scotland and Wales,” said director general, Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC), George Muir.
Network Rail says that railway companies are also using existing bye-laws to extend the ban to all uncovered platforms and footbridges, for what it says are ”reasons of practicality and simplicity.” Stations are currently featuring leaflets, posters and announcements concerning the imminent ban.
”The era of smoky stations is coming to an end,” said Network Rail director of operations and customer service, Robin Gisby, adding: ”Passengers will be able to enjoy smoke-free concourses and platforms just as they have enjoyed smoke-free trains. This will support the work that Network Rail and train operators are doing to improve the passenger experience.”
But pro smoking choice lobby group, Forest, is understandably furious about the draconian ban that will shortly see all 2,500 UK railway stations fall under the new law ” including a halt to smoking on platforms.
”As far as railway platforms are concerned, there is not the slightest health risk from tobacco ” not even the most extreme [person] would say that” a Forest spokesman told ABTN. ”It is clearly unnecessary to ban smoking on platforms.
”I”m sure that railway staff have got better things to do than confront smokers ” the politicians have enthusiastically climbed on this bandwagon. When they”ve finished with smokers, they will move onto someone else.”