Ban public sale of fireworks?

Yes, says Geoff Alderson, retired policeman turned teacher:

Once again we are being subjected to distress and inconvenience caused by irresponsible people discharging fireworks at all hours of the day and night.

I am sick and tired of the actions of these uncaring individuals. I object to being woken up at 5.11am by the sound of firework explosions. This is unacceptable and definitely anti-social. We have had loud explosions to contend with for the past two weeks and it has got worse since October 31. I am annoyed that my Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Toby, gets so frightened he shivers and shakes whenever there is a loud bang. He gets into a right state.

We have also seen the wanton vandalism and destruction caused by fireworks, the problems with telephone kiosks and wheelie bins.

I have had enough.

I am told the Government has been working in co-operation with enforcement agencies and the industry to address the problem caused by fireworks. The Fireworks Act does not address the problem. I am told there is a voluntary code where it is agreed that fireworks should only be sold three weeks before November 5 and for a few days after. This also applies to the period around New Year. None of these regulations will stop those who wish to cause annoyance and upset.

I have many fond memories of bonfire night parties and the enjoyment we all had. We were sensible and considered others. I have never before advocated a total ban on fireworks, or the idea of just permitting organised displays.

However, I have changed my mind. There are many individuals whose only aim is to cause disruption and upset, and the fact they are able to acquire fireworks only enables them to cause even more misery. Some people say you could never ban firework sales outright because then they would go underground and you would have a black market. This is a weak reason.

If fireworks were withdrawn from public sale we would have gone some way towards eradicating some of the problems we experience today.

Unless we do something, in today's climate of litigation I wonder how long it will be before someone decides to sue for the distress caused by fireworks?

No, says Andrew Waller, York Liberal Democrat councillor:

I have every sympathy with people who are fed up with the nuisance of fireworks. There are very large and noisy fireworks publicly available which are being misused. No one wants to see them being let off late at night or being used to blow up telephone boxes. This needs to be stopped.

However, you are not going to be able to prevent the sale of sparklers - there would be a public outcry against that.

In many areas of York there are no organised events for people to attend, and families have traditionally run their own fireworks displays, which have not caused any problems for their neighbours.

A family letting off a catherine wheel or a small rocket at a reasonable time of the evening is something most people would not have any problem with. It is when they let off large fireworks at 2am, 3am or 4am that people object.

The danger is that if you are too draconian, that will simply stoke up the black market supply of fireworks, which is the last thing anyone wants.

So there has to be a balance.

We pressed the Minister at this time last year and were given assurances that there was a voluntary code coming in from January this year. This voluntary code is not working, which is a great disappointment.

From next January, under the Fireworks Act, there will be a limit of 120 decibels. That will mean many of the fireworks being pushed now by suppliers in York will become illegal.

This will be an improvement.

However, the Act is not prescriptive. It gives powers to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, but she may or may not use them.

The Liberal Democrats will be putting forward a motion to council on November 11 urging the Secretary of State to use all her powers to restrict, or ban, very noisy fireworks - fireworks we think should be classified as category 4, for professional use at organised displays only.

We support the RSPCA, which is campaigning for maximum noise levels of 95 decibels for garden fireworks.

I don't think it would be right to ban sparklers or catherine wheels altogether. Fireworks need to be properly regulated, not banned.

Updated: 12:06 Tuesday, November 04, 2003