"Coventry to ban smoking outdoors"

[dutchman]

Coventry could be among the first UK cities to ban smoking outdoors.



The council is considering plans to create a smoke-free square in Millennium Place in the city centre.

It would stop smokers lighting up there during the Olympic and Paralympics Games next summer.

The temporary ban has been proposed by Coventry’s Smokefree Alliance to protect children from harmful secondhand smoke while they watch the Games on the big screen.

Coun Joe Clifford, chairman of the Smokefree Alliance in Coventry, said it would be similar to a smaller boycott at the temporary beach created in Smithford Way several years ago.

He said: “This is about keeping children and families safe while they watch the sport.

“I can’t imagine too many people would argue against that.”

Smoking is currently banned in enclosed public spaces, such as pubs, restaurants, offices and under certain types of outdoor shelters.

Plans are now underway nationally to ban smoking in cars to protect children.

MPs will debate a private members bill - backed by the British Medical Association - on the ban this week.

However, Coventry wants to go even further by banning smoking in an open area, albeit temporarily.

Coun Clifford said: “My only motivation is to protect children - I don’t have a downer on smokers.

“We are not proposing to cart smokers off to jail, but we want to work with the police and our partners to ask them to smoke somewhere else.”

Coventry is not the only city to consider a ban on smoking outdoors in public spaces - a measure pioneered in New York this summer.

Stony Stratford near Milton Keynes recently axed a debate on the idea, while Warrington in Cheshire is considering a voluntary code of conduct that would ask smokers not to spark up in children’s play areas.

Coventry City Council confirmed it had received the Smokefree Alliance’s proposal. However the plan has not yet been allocated to a cabinet member for a decision, it said.

The Telegraph understands the process has taken longer than expected because there have been question marks over the council’s legal right to enforce a temporary ban.

Smokers are unlikely to take kindly to more restrictions.

However, Simon Dudman, director of health and lifestyle services at behaviour change experts ICE, welcomed the announcement.

He said it would spark a debate about smoking that - regardless of the outcome - would raise awareness about the risks, particularly to children.

ICE recently launched a new NHS funded stop smoking service, Stop4Life.

For more details call 0800 612 4580 or visit http://www.stop4life.co.uk