A Buckinghamshire town is considering banning smoking from its streets. Stony Stratford town councilor Paul Bartlett is spearheading a campaign which would forbid residents from smoking on the streets.
The campaign has received backing from senior members of the town council and will be debated next month before likely being sent to Milton Keynes Council for approval. If the ban is imposed, those caught smoking on the streets of Stony Stratford would be slapped with a fine.
Mr Barlett said, “When you walk through the high street in any town, smoke is in your face and harming you and any children there. Smokers then get their butt, which is full of saliva, and chuck it on the floor. It costs millions to clear street rubbish.” He said, “Stony Stratford is a historic town which is blighted by cigarette butts. The plan that I am trying to put forward is for smoking to be banned in public in the High Street, surrounding streets, and preferably elsewhere as well. Why should people be able to smoke in my face and spoil the environment?”
Members of the public, police community support officers and traffic wardens will all be charged with enforcing the ban, which has been welcomed by anti-smoking groups.
Local smokers have been less receptive to the plans. Some publicans in the town have said a total ban on smoking would have a huge impact on their trade. “Since the smoking ban, our customers have had to go outside to smoke… If they stop people smoking in the street then our customers won't have anywhere to go. We've already noticed that more and more people are staying at home instead of coming out to the pub,” said Irene King, landlady at The White Horse public house.
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