Employers must ensure their company van drivers are fully aware of the implications of the recent ban on in-vehicle smoking as some councils appear to be taking a zero tolerance approach to enforcing the laws, according to GE Capital Solutions, Fleet Services. 



The law, which came into effect in July 2007, recently received widespread attention when a self-employed decorator, Gordon Williams, was fined £30 by his local council for smoking in his van, even though it is privately-owned and he was on personal business. 



Rich Green, managing director, explained: “This case is an extreme example but demonstrates that local authorities are starting to take a more proactive approach to enforcing the laws.

"It shows how important it is for employers to ensure that their drivers are aware of the law.”