Man fuming over smoking fine

2008-07-25 22:04

London - A painter and decorator has been fined for breaching Britain's smoking ban - by puffing on a cigarette in his own van, he said Friday.

Gordon Williams, 58, of Llanafan in west Wales, was told by officials that his van was classed as a workplace and so fell foul of the ban, brought in last year to cover enclosed public places but not private areas.

He was fined £30, even though he says he was not working and was on the way to buy his wife some teabags at the time.

"I appreciate that a driver of a coach or a bus can't smoke at the wheel because obviously, that is the law of the land," he said.

"Of course, there are tools and things in the van but a barrister would carry about documents in a briefcase in his own car - this is no different to my mind."

Ceredigion County Council, which imposed the fine, said it would be inappropriate to comment on individual cases.

- AFP