SINGAPORE: Smokers are getting a six-month reprieve from plans to make Orchard Road a no smoking zone.
The implementation of the smoke-free zone in the Orchard Road area will be delayed to the end of this year instead of starting in July, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) on Wednesday (Jun 13).
It was reported last year that NEA planned to transform Orchard Road into a smoke-free zone from Jul 1, except for several designated smoking areas.
There will be about 40 of these areas including five publicly-owned ones at Orchard Towers, Far East Plaza, The Heeren, Cuppage Terrace, and behind Somerset MRT station, NEA said.
A location map showing the No Smoking Zone at Orchard Road district. (Image: NEA)
More than 100 buildings will be within the no-smoking zone when it starts.
The new implementation date aims to “provide more time for businesses to prepare for the no smoking zone”, as some businesses gave feedback that they needed more time to make the necessary preparations, said the environment agency in a news release.
Businesses will need to prepare by identifying and setting up designated smoking areas, and smokers will need to familiarise themselves with these areas.
Additionally, restaurants within the smoke-free zone that have existing smoking corners will also be given an extension of about six months to remove them.
This follows last year’s decision to stop accepting applications from food outlets islandwide to set up smoking areas in their premises.
However, smokers can still smoke at existing corners at these outlets outside Orchard Road until the existing licence for these places end.
For the first three months after the smoke-free zone is implemented, those caught smoking in Orchard Road will receive verbal warnings and those who ignore the warnings may be issued a fine.
After this three-month period, enforcement action will be taken against offenders who smoke in public areas within the smoke-free zone.
The new implementation date will be announced later following amendments to the Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Act in the second half of 2018.
Designated Smoking Areas
- Cathay Cineleisure Orchard (2)
- Concorde Hotel and Shopping Mall
- Cuppage Terrace
- DFS Galleria
- Far East Plaza
- Far East Shopping Centre
- Four Seasons Hotel
- Forum The Shopping mall
- Goodwood Park Hotel (3)
- Grand Hyatt Singapore
- Hilton Singapore
- Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road (2)
- Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre (2)
- Ngee Ann City
- Orchard Parade Hotel (2)
- Orchard Towers (2)
- Plaza Singapura
- Shaw House
- Behind Somerset MRT Station
- Tang Plaza
- Tanglin Mall
- Tanglin Place
- Tanglin Shopping Centre
- The Centrepoint
- The Heeren
- The Quincy Hotel
- The Regent Singapore (2)
- The Paragon
- Wheelock Place
- York Hotel (2)
