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The British Daily Mail reports that the Tendring District Council and Essex Police are so eager to catch employees having a puff behind the wheel that they've - unbelievably - set up road blocks across the county.
Sniffer wardens in question reserve the right to poke their heads inside vehicles to trace the smell of a recently use cigarette, or thumb about seeking ash deposits.
Although it would appear to be a bizarre state of affairs, there is a piece of legislation in support. Smoking in company cars was banned in 2006 under the Health Act. It made smoking in any vehicle used predominantly for business, which more than one person might use (as part of a carpool), illegal.
'WASTE OF MONEY'
Subsequently, anyone caught smoking in a company car faces a R550 fixed penalty fine or taken to court and issued with a R2 200 fine and conviction. For line-managers or company owners it is even worse, as they a fine of up to R28 000. Even a simple absence of no smoking stickers inside a carpool vehicle nets a penalty of R12 000.
John O’Connell, of the TaxPayers’'Alliance, told the Small World News Service: "This is a complete waste of money and a ridiculously disproportionate clampdown on what is a victimless crime. Taxpayers want to see police out on the streets solving and preventing crime in their communities, not setting up road blocks to pull over plumbers for having a cigarette."
Ian Wilkins, an environmental officer, defended the programme, saying: "When the new legislation came into force on July 1, 2007 it became illegal to smoke in virtually all enclosed public places and public and work vehicles. I think it is fair to say that most people understood the rules when it came to public buildings but there was some confusion over the rules about smoking in vehicles."
Sniffer wardens in question reserve the right to poke their heads inside vehicles to trace the smell of a recently use cigarette, or thumb about seeking ash deposits.
Although it would appear to be a bizarre state of affairs, there is a piece of legislation in support. Smoking in company cars was banned in 2006 under the Health Act. It made smoking in any vehicle used predominantly for business, which more than one person might use (as part of a carpool), illegal.
'WASTE OF MONEY'
Subsequently, anyone caught smoking in a company car faces a R550 fixed penalty fine or taken to court and issued with a R2 200 fine and conviction. For line-managers or company owners it is even worse, as they a fine of up to R28 000. Even a simple absence of no smoking stickers inside a carpool vehicle nets a penalty of R12 000.
John O’Connell, of the TaxPayers’'Alliance, told the Small World News Service: "This is a complete waste of money and a ridiculously disproportionate clampdown on what is a victimless crime. Taxpayers want to see police out on the streets solving and preventing crime in their communities, not setting up road blocks to pull over plumbers for having a cigarette."
Ian Wilkins, an environmental officer, defended the programme, saying: "When the new legislation came into force on July 1, 2007 it became illegal to smoke in virtually all enclosed public places and public and work vehicles. I think it is fair to say that most people understood the rules when it came to public buildings but there was some confusion over the rules about smoking in vehicles."
