BUS chiefs have imposed a smoking ban in part of a town's showpiece bus station.

They have introduced the no smoking zone around the information kiosk at the station in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, an area dubbed Clapham Junction. It is close to a busy entrance, where there is a pelican crossing outside.

The ban also covers three of the 13 bus stands.

Tubular ash trays have been installed for disposal of cigarette ends.

The scheme has only just been introduced at the Victorian-style station, built at a cost of £2.5m, but has already met with a favourable reaction from passengers.

People who have been asked to put out cigarettes in the area have done so, said Harrogate and District Bus Company.

It took the action after staff manning the kiosk and passengers waiting for information and at bus stands complained of a smoky environment.

Operations director David Alexander said the company was testing the water and said that, if successuful, the smoking ban could be introduced across the rest of the bus station.