Move to stub out smoking at the Hamilton bus terminal

Smoking is set to be banned at Hamilton bus terminal and stiffer fines introduced for people who misbehave at the terminal and on the buses.

People caught smoking will be fined $300, as will those who do not pay the correct fare, alter the date on their bus pass or fail to hand in lost property that they find.

The same fine covers those who get on a bus so drunk or scantily-clad that they are in “an unfit or improper condition to travel”.

Those who avoid paying their fare at all, behave offensively or damage a bus will have to pay out $500. Meanwhile being caught with an offensive weapon or dangerous article such as an explosive carries a $1,000 penalty.

Attempting to steal a bus carries a $2,000 penalty, while those who refuse to give up a seat reserved for a disabled or “special person” will have to pay $150.

The new rules will come in if the Senate gives the green light to an amendment bill approved by the House of Assembly on Friday. In the case of several offences, even stiffer fines can be meted out to repeat offenders.

Introducing the amendments to the Public Transportation Act, which dates back to 1951, Transport Minister Terry Lister said they will come into force along with new regulations to be published in the Official Gazette.

At present, the maximum penalty for misbehaving on the buses “is a mere $252,” according to the Minister.

“Bus operators have had to face hazardous conditions while in control of a vehicle that can have as many as 50 passengers. Verbal and physical attacks have become more frequent,” he said.

He believes increasing the fines for such behaviour will signal to wrongdoers “that their actions will not be tolerated”.

He said there have been complaints about behaviour at Hamilton bus terminal, and fines will be meted out under the new rules for being drunk, profane or obscene, being disorderly or drawing graffiti.

On the topic of smoking, Mr Lister said: “We will be putting up signs that it’s illegal to smoke at the bus depot in Hamilton.” He said the Corporation of Hamilton has been asked to put up cigarette posts so people can stub them out before entering the depot.

He suggested the new rules, which apply to smoking “in an omnibus or at a department facility,” even extend to those who light up while waiting at bus stop poles around the Island, since this can be unpleasant for bystanders.

However, John Barritt of the One Bermuda Alliance, which supports the bill overall, said: “Good luck with stopping people smoking near the bus poles. The regulation speaks about a ‘departmental facility’. I’m not sure a pole counts as a departmental facility, but good luck with that.”

Meanwhile, the Minister had stern words for those who breach the new rules on “improper dress.” The rules cover those “whose dress or person is in a condition that is likely to soil any seat or furnishings in an omnibus or who is in an unfit or improper condition to travel in an omnibus”. They carry a fine of $300.

Mr Lister said: “I have ridden the bus at night and sometimes some of the gentlemen who get on the bus have been in an inebriated state. They may well have been able to get up those two steps looking pretty good, but as their condition deteriorates they can be troublesome, noisy or just plain have an accident.”

He also bemoaned the fact that “back in the day,” children used to give up their seats for the elderly or disabled, but now it has become necessary to enforce the rules via fines.

The new legislation was backed by the One Bermuda Alliance. Shawn Crockwell from the party said: “We support this wholeheartedly and compliment the Minister for bring it forward.”

He also commented: “I hope the enforcement of the regulations will be firm.”

However, his party colleague Mark Pettingill sounded a note of concern that some of the rules will need subjective interpretation by the bus operator, such as whether someone using a cell phone is breaking the rules on using an “obstructive article.” An obstructive article is defined as something “likely to cause annoyance to other persons in an omnibus”.

Mr Pettingill said cell phone use on the bus is “very annoying,” but a decision on whether it breaks the rules would be “purely subjective”.

He also cited concern that bus operators who try to eject troublemakers from the bus could get assaulted, or even be accused of assault themselves.