After it was revealed last week that London Midland (which has just lost its franchise to run trains) is threatening to send vapers to court for using e-cigarettes on trains, The Freedom Association's Freedom to Vape campaign sent the following Freedom of Information request to the British Transport Police.
- Has British Transport Police interviewed anyone under caution for using e-cigarettes (commonly known as vaping) on trains, railway stations, or other property owned by either Network Rail or a train operating company?
- If the answer to question 1 is yes, please give me a breakdown of the location of each incident since 1 January 2015. To be specific, please include the date, time, the location (for example, a station platform or on a train), the name of the train operating company, and if those interviewed were prosecuted, released without charge, or given a formal caution.
Andrew Allison, Head of Campaigns at The Freedom Association, said:
"It's time for Network Rail and all train operating companies, not just London Midland, to change their e-cigarette policies. The existing railway byelaws do not cover e-cigarettes. If someone is filling up the carriage with vapour, then the person responsible should be asked to stop. If someone is discreetly vaping (which all vapers who have used trains will have done at some point), then they are not being anti-social in the least."