Dealers and bodyshops could face a £200 fine for every courtesy car that does not display a no smoking sign when the ban goes live in England on July 1.

All enclosed public places and work places will become smoke-free from that day.

Vehicles at a work place that are used by more than one person, regardless of whether they are in the vehicle at the same time, will have to be smoke-free at all times. This is meant to protect people who use the vehicle from second-hand smoke, regardless of when they use the vehicle.

Drivers of convertible cars will be exempt as long as the roof is down when they are smoking. Dealers will have to make sure that no smoking signs are displayed on their premises too. Failure to prominently display the signage will result in escalated fines of up to £1,000.

Managers who knowingly fail to prevent smoking in a dealership or bodyshop will face a £2,500 fine.

The Government has proposed that local authorities will enforce the smoke-free legislation, although it has acknowledged that it will be largely self-enforcing.

Compliant smoke-free premise signs and an ‘everything you need to know’ guide can be downloaded from www.smokefreeengland.co.uk.

England is the last country in the UK to ban smoking in public places. Scotland went smoke-free last year. Northern Ireland and Wales followed earlier this year.