The CIEH have just been made aware of a consultation being conducted by the Department for Transport which has references to the enforcement of the smokefree legislation on local bus services in England and Wales.
The consultation period began on 9 March 2010 and closes on 1 June 2010. Therefore the CIEH needs urgently to prepare its submission. Comments are therefore needed by this Friday 28 May 2010.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/2010-17/
The Conduct Regulations set out the rules and responsibilities of bus and coach drivers, inspectors and conductors and also for passengers. The position of the CIEH will be that we support the proposal in paragraph 7.12 to amend the Conduct Regulations to bring them into line with the smokefree legislation.
However, the consultation also seeks views on the extent to which smoking on buses has been a problem and the scale of the problem and the CIEH would be pleased to have any information you might wish to provide for inclusion in its response. What constitutes a ‘local bus service’ is not a straightforward matter and it could, in some circumstances include what most people would recognize as a school bus service and a tour bus service. Therefore, any information you wish to provide us with on these areas will also be helpful.
The consultation also requests information on ways of making operators more accountable for the actions of their drivers, and the merits of introducing financial sanctions against operators for persistent breach of the Conduct Regulations.
Finally, the consultation is specifically concerned with the consumption of alcohol on buses (paragraphs 7.5 and 7.6).
Please send replies to I.gray@cieh.org.