Sacked and fined for smoking at work

A bus driver, sacked for smoking a cigarette at the wheel while carrying passengers, has also been hit with a £150 court fine.

Michelle Madden, of Lavender Road, Holts, was spotted by an Oldham Council environment officer in July last year as she was driving along Thompson Lane, Chadderton.

The 43-year-old, who pleaded guilty at Oldham Magistrates Court to the charge of smoking in a workplace, had been given a £50 fixed penalty notice which she failed to pay within the agreed time and she ignored reminder letters advising her to pay as soon as possible.

She was sacked by Bluebird buses, which is run by Stagecoach.

Madden, who has failed to find a job since the incident, told the court: “I was dismissed from my job for this offence so I don’t think I should have to pay a fine on top of that.

“I feel I have been punished enough.

“I don’t remember the incident but I have no reason to think the officer is lying, which is why I pleaded guilty.

“It was a very stressful time for me but I know it was wrong and I apologise.

“It will be very difficult for me to get a driving job now because I have been fired from this one, so I am living on Job Seekers Allowance.”

Judge Graham Eckersall, who fined Madden £35 plus £115 costs, said: “I have taken into account the fact that you pleaded guilty from the earliest opportunity but as the driver of the bus it was your job to set the standard.

“If passengers see you smoking they will think it is okay for them to smoke as well. It was your job to deter people from smoking.”

A spokesman for Bluebird said: “When the smoking ban was first introduced we worked very closely with Oldham Council to train employees on the new rules and offered help to anyone who wanted to quit the habit.

“We are very pro-active when it comes to smoking in the workplace and would take similar action should employees be caught.

We held these standards before the legislation came into force and the new laws reinforced our views.”