Ribble to Try Ban on Smoking
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N experimental ban on smoking on lower decks will be put into ration by Ribble Motor Services, This was the outcome, at Black1 on Monday, when the North :tern Traffic Commissioners coned dealing with the company's 1 service licence. They added a dition that a notice should be ibited on the lower decks of double(ers prohibiting smoking.
ble opposed the application, and J. P. Senior, assistant general ;er, said that many passengers resent the restriction. The cornobjected on the ground of the !rt of the passengers. Most of their services had been running for years and Ribble had received no aints.
deputy town clerk of Crosby, Mr. I. Heppe11, said that from a census 227 people, 52.7 per cent, had been our of a ban and the rest against tr. Senior observed that the census :d only about 5 per cent. of their igers and did not present a fair e. He could understand inconice being caused to people suffering bronchial diseases and those who tobacco smoke offensive, but such luals were in the minority.
Ribble had gone to a great deal of trouble to object to the proposals, said Mr. Heppe11, and they had succeeded in proving that 52.7 per cent, of their passengers were in favour of the proposals—a high majority for an opinion poll. It was reliable evidence.
'there was no evidence that tobacco smoke was harmful, said Mr. F. D. Walker, for Ribble. The company had been operating services for many years and a prohibition of this type had never been necessary. If there were any question of smoke being injurious to health, it would have been discussed by the Ministry of Health.
The chairman, Mr. F. Williamson, said that he was satisfied that a substantial section of the public found tobacco smoke unpleasant, distressing and offensive, and they were entitled to consideration. The Commissioners wanted to give these people some relief, but they did not want to ride rough-shod over Ribble.
He asked them to consider introducing, on some of their services, a smoking ban in a portion of the lower decks of vehicles. Mr. Williamson wished the operators to experiment for two months and then give their views on the matter. The Commissioners would then determine their course of action.