Some of Bradford's biggest employers will be able to breathe freely tomorrow when the smoking ban begins.

The legislation, which comes into force at 6am, means smoking in all enclosed public places will be banned.

For hundreds of businesses across the district the rule has meant making major changes.

Taxi and private hire drivers will no longer be able to light up in their cars, smoking rooms will be banned and people who used to smoke at the production line will have to step outside for a cigarette.

Bosses who fail to enforce the law could find themselves facing a £2,500 fine. And those that do not display no-smoking signs in all prohibited areas could rack up a penalty of £1,000.

In anticipation of tomorrow's ban Bradford Council, which employs 21,000 people across the district, decided to go smoke-free in January.

The Council also issued support network contacts for those wanting to take advantage of the ban by quitting.

Council workers who continue to smoke must do so in their own time.

Morrisons, which has a total workforce of 120,000, has provided staff with information about services, advice and support available to smoking staff who want to give up or cut down.

Staff will be allowed to light up during working hours in the day, but only at a designated outside spot.

Night-shift workers will not be allowed to smoke between 11pm and 6am because of the company's safety policy. As a result those staff have been offered free smoking cessation sessions and Morrisons has also pledged to cover the cost of one 12-week related prescription course.

Yorkshire Water, which employs more than 1,000 people in Bradford, had an indoor smoke-free policy for a number of years, with smoking limited to designated areas.

In the run-up to the ban the company has offered support to people who would like to kick the habit.

A Yorkshire Water spokesman said: "Employees who want to stop smoking are encouraged to visit weekly support groups run by Yorkshire Water's NHS trained no-smoking assessor, Christine Lockwood. Christine is able to assess the needs of employees and where necessary provide prescriptions for GPs to authorise.

"This service means Yorkshire Water employees can get all the help, advice and support needed without having to visit their doctor."

And it's not just big business affected by the ban. Some of Bradford's smaller companies have also had to make changes.

The Keighley and Worth Valley heritage steam line will become a completely no-smoking organisation from tomorrow.

Smoking was banned in station buffets almost 20 years ago and was later extended to passenger trains and real-ale buffet cars. Now the legislation will see smoking banned in guards vans, station buildings, workshops and the drivers' footplates.

But the new rules will have little impact 12 miles up the road at the Embsay & Bolton Abbey steam line, near Skipton, where smoking has never been allowed.

Manager, Stephen Walker said: "The only objection we have is to the modern signs we have to put up which are not in keeping with a heritage line. We already display our own historic no-smoking signs."

For more information about the ban visit www.smokefreeengland.co.uk.

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