'Dangerous time for families': Call for ban on private sale of fireworks in Scotland

The private sale of fireworks should be banned to crack down on noise and environmental pollution, the Scottish Greens have said.

The party said the period from mid October to Hogmanay had become “a dangerous time for families with pets and others living in constant fear of extreme distress”.

It called for existing restrictions to be toughened to secure an end to private sales.

Edinburgh has become the first Scottish council to implement a ban on the use of fireworks in certain parts of the city in the days around Bonfire Night.

The control zones in Niddrie, Balerno, Seafield and Calton Hill will run from 1 to 10 November and mean anyone setting off a private firework will be committing a criminal offence.

It follows disorder in Niddrie last year which saw young people clash with riot police, with fireworks and petrol bombs thrown at officers.

Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman said: “Firework displays are enjoyed by thousands of people across Scotland for a variety of cultural celebrations, and I think it’s important that organised displays are protected for communities to enjoy.

“However, in recent years we have seen the period from mid October to Hogmanay become a dangerous time for families with pets and others living in constant fear of extreme distress from fireworks. 

“We all know that fireworks have adverse effects on our wildlife and family pets, yet every year we are seeing them being set off in residential communities all over our country. I don’t believe that we would think handing individuals explosive devices was at all appropriate in any other situation. 

“And we know that fireworks have also been used to attack emergency service workers. That can never be acceptable. 

“Scottish Green MSPs and councillors have led campaigns to introduce firework control zones in our cities and communities, limiting the impact of fireworks. I hope that we can build on that and secure an end to private sales.”

SNP community safety minister Siobhian Brown said: “I understand why there are a calls for a fireworks ban, and although this is a reserved matter and not currently within the Scottish Government’s powers, I have written to the UK government asking for a meeting to discuss what more can be done on fireworks regulations.

“Within our powers we have introduced a number of measures to improve firework safety, including a ban on providing fireworks to under-18s and making attacks on emergency workers using fireworks an aggravating factor that courts can take into account when sentencing offenders.

“We have also provided local authorities with powers to designate firework control zones, which ban the use of fireworks in local areas, and these are being used for the first time this year in areas across Edinburgh over the Bonfire Night period.”