Many drivers are unaware that smoking while driving has In fact been illegal for a number of years now. It carries the same on the spot £100 fine as eating or drinking (non alcoholic) when behind the wheel.

now the government wish to ban smoking by anyone in a vehicle when there are children in it.

MPs have backed calls for a ban on smoking in cars in England and Wales when children are passengers.

They voted in favour of a Labour-supported amendment to the Children and Families Bill by a majority of 269.

This will give Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt the power to bring in a ban in England, while Welsh Government ministers will decided in Wales.

Last week, more than 700 experts wrote to MPs urging them to back change. But critics say legislation is not needed.

The amendment – passed by 376 votes to 107 – empowers, but does not compel, ministers to make it a criminal offence for drivers to fail to prevent smoking in their privately owned vehicles when children are present.

Much of the debate about banning smoking in cars has been talked about in terms of protecting children.

That is understandable. Research published in 2009 showed that a single cigarette in a stationary car could produce levels of second-hand smoke 11 times greater than that found in a smoky bar.

Although it should be pointed out that the study also said if the car was moving and a window open it reduced the toxins to well below that level.

But it is also an inescapable fact that this issue is the latest in the fight to make smoking socially unacceptable.

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Introduction of car and trailer testing on motorcycle manoeuvring areas.

You may have noticed recently that we have marked out an additional rectangular area on some motorcycle manoeuvring areas.

This is so we can carry out car and trailer testing (B+E) at these sites.

We have taken steps to ensure that the manoeuvring areas are safe for use by multiple testing categories. This includes designing the reversing area so it doesn’t interfere with any of the high speed manoeuvres.

Although non slip paint has been used and slow manoeuvring is safe when crossing the painted areas, we advise that the wide yellow stopping box area is not used for any manoeuvres.

Before any motorcycle testing activity takes place the area is checked by the motorcycle examiner for damage and spillages. It’s important you do the same if you are using the area for training.

These tests will offer better utilisation of our motorcycle manoeuvring areas and should not affect the number of motorcycle test bookings at these centres.

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www.drivingtuitionblackpool.co.uk