Smoking Enforcement Officers in Swansea are urging drivers of work-based vehicles to avoid lighting up at the wheel.
The advice follows recent convictions against two local taxi drivers who both received costly fines for smoking in their vehicles.
Both drivers pleaded guilty to a total of five offences between them and each received fines of £150 per offence along with £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
Smoking in public places in Wales become illegal in April 2007 to protect the public from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. The ban includes pubs, restaurants and other public places where people congregate. The ban also includes workplaces and requires work-based vehicles such as taxis and buses to be smoke free.
Swansea Council has since issued 53 fixed penalties to people for smoking in company and licensed vehicles. Eight prosecutions have been successful and one case is pending.
Cllr John Hague, Cabinet Member for the Environment in Swansea Council, said: “Since the introduction of the ban on smoking in public places the Council has taken its responsibilities very seriously in terms of ensuring people comply with the ban.
“We have noticed less compliance to the ban by some drivers of commercial and licensed vehicles.
“We would urge companies to remind staff who drive vehicles to remember that vehicles used for work are also considered a public place and the legislation covers these vehicles.”
Further information on smoking in public places is available by calling Swansea Council’s Health Promotions Team on 01792 635600.
