Save for 40 designated smoking areas along one of Singapore’s most popular shopping areas, the pedestrian walkways along Orchard Road will be completely smoke-free from the first day of 2019. But enforcers from the National Environment Agency (NEA) will only be issuing verbal warnings in the No Smoking Zone for the first three months of the year after that tickets and fines will be issued.
The NEA is giving the public time to get used to the new law, which is why their approach to smokers on Orchard Road will at first be advisory, except, of course, for those who are caught smoking in places that are already forbidden, such as bus stops and covered linkways. Last year, there were around 22,000 tickets issued for smoking in these forbidden spaces.
The NEA has said, “Those caught smoking in other public areas within the No Smoking Zone will receive verbal warnings. However, smokers who repeatedly flout the law in spite of prior warnings may also be issued a fine.”
From April 1, 2019, it will be a different matter altogether. For anyone smoking along Orchard Road aside from the specifically assigned areas, there will be a ticket and a fine that could go as high as S$ 1000.
By January 1, 2019, the NEA is officially declaring the area around Tanglin Road, Goodwood Park Hotel and Dhoby Ghaut as a No Smoking Zone. There will be abundant reminders for everyone that the walkways for pedestrians along Orchard Road must be completely smoke-free, by way of posters and advertisements along train stations, bus stops, even garbage cans and lamp posts, flyers in shopping centers and retail outlets and finally, helpful volunteers from the community.
As for the smoking corners at restaurants and other food establishments within the No Smoking Zone, these will no longer be allowed after the last day of 2018.
Tourists visiting the country will be informed of this in their hotels as well as at Changi Airport itself, along with the Singapore Cruise Centre and the Marina Bay Cruise Centre.
As for the 40 designated smoking areas, they are between 100 to 200 meters apart, making sure that there are still plenty of places for people who wish to smoke.
Here is the list of the designated areas for smoking on Orchard Road:
Behind Somerset MRT Station
Cathay Cineleisure Orchard (2)
Concorde Hotel and Shopping Mall (2)
Cuppage Terrace
DFS Galleria
Far East Plaza
Far East Shopping Centre
Forum The Shopping Mall
Four Seasons Hotel (2)
Goodwood Park Hotel (3)
Grand Hyatt Singapore
Hilton Singapore
Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road (2)
Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre (2)
Ming Arcade
Ngee Ann City (2)
Orchard Rendezvous Hotel (2)
Orchard Towers (2)
Plaza Singapura
Shaw House
Tang Plaza
Tanglin Mall
Tanglin Place
Tanglin Shopping Centre
The Centrepoint
The Heeren
The Paragon
The Quincy Hotel
The Regent Singapore (2)
Wheelock Place
York Hotel (2)