Case study: secondhand smoke
08 July 2025
Changes ensure railway station entrance is smoke-free.
Passengers smoke outside Preston station, but the smoke spreads inside, as the doors are in constant use. The ‘no smoking’ signs are inside. Concerned about the long-term health risks of secondhand smoke, the reporter wanted the area outside the entrance to be smoke-free, with suitable signs.
Avanti West Coast (Avanti) said there were two alcoves at the entrance doors where people stood to smoke, especially when it was raining. Two ‘no smoking’ poster boards inside pointed here, but people were constantly being asked to move away from the area.
Before the report, Avanti changed this approach by putting ‘no smoking’ signs on all windows immediately at the station front. Since the report, it has placed two large, freestanding poster boards with ‘no smoking’ signs at the side of the station doors. Barriers prevent access to the area. Avanti is also adding a designated smoking area that is farther away.
The offices now have two air purifiers. A fault report to address any gaps within the window frames showed that the windows were in a good condition, with the normal range of airflow.