NATIONAL Car Rental and Guy Salmon are applying a UK wide smoking ban to its 45,000 strong fleet ahead of the smoking bans coming into force in Wales, Northern Ireland and England this spring and summer.

‘We feel very strongly that a smoking ban should be applied to all our vehicles to help our customers who are employers comply with the new legislation’, said Ron Santiago, vice president UK operations.

‘By putting ‘No Smoking’ stickers in all our vehicles we can ensure that they are not at risk from the heavy penalties for non-compliance with the new legislation.’

The smoking ban coming into force in Wales, Northern Ireland and England applies to vehicles used by more than one person for work purposes, whether paid or voluntary. It will be effective in Wales from April 2; Northern Ireland from April 30 and in England from July 1, as well as Scotland where a ban has been in place since 2006.

The programme to put ‘No Smoking’ stickers into all National and Guy Salmon rental vehicles, including rental cars and vans, started in March 2007. By the time the laws are in place, every vehicle on the fleet will have a sticker on the dashboard.