Peterborough City Council - New firework laws help trading standards get tough

31 October 2005	Communications Team Town Hall Peterborough PE1 1HG
	Telephone: 01733 452577 Facsimile: 01733 452369 Email: jennie.kendall@peterborough.gov.uk Our Ref: 05/10/JK

New firework laws help trading standards get tough

Trading standards officers are marking the 400^th anniversary of the gunpowder plot with new powers that will see a tough crackdown on illegal firework sales.

Trading standards professionals from Peterborough City Council are asking the public to help them root out illegal firework sales by calling them on (01733) 747474 or the national Consumer Direct helpline on 08454 04 05 06.

Jane Day, senior adviser for the city council's trading standards team said: "This is the first Guy Fawkes' night that trading standards services have been armed with new powers introduced by the Department of Trade and Industry. This follows high profile campaigning for stronger regulation of firework sales to help stamp out illegal sales which often link to anti-social firework use. In addition is also sees new rules on storage for traders and use of fireworks."

The new powers state:

Retailers can only sell fireworks during designated periods unless they obtain a special licence
A firework curfew has been introduced banning the public from using fireworks between 11pm and 7am with the main exceptions of 5 November, 31 December and 1 January
Under 18's are banned from possessing garden and display fireworks in a public place
A ban on excessively loud fireworks - more than 120 decibels
Traders must show licences or storage certificates when buying more than 50kg of stock
Traders must display in-store notices on issues such as under-age sales

Police forces will enforce any issues surrounding anti-social use, such as setting off fireworks outside the curfew periods.

Ends.

Media Contact: Jennie Kendall, Media Relations Manager on (01733) 452577.

Note to editors

Under the Firework Regulations 2004 and the Manufacture and Storage of Explosives Regulations 2005:

No person shall use adult fireworks between 11pm and 7am, except from:

11pm to midnight on 5 November
11pm on 31 December and 1am on 1 January
The first day of Chinese New Year, from 11pm to 1am the following day
The first day of Diwali, from 11pm to 1am the following day

Sales of fireworks are allowed only between:

15 October to 10 November
·26 December to 31 December
·The first day of Chinese New Year and the three days preceding this
The day of Diwali and the three days preceding this

Any sale of fireworks during these periods requires registration and if a trader wishes to sell outside these periods, it requires a special licence.