Thursday January 22nd 2026
Photo by Jingda Chen
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Stuart Sommerville
West Lothian has agreed to a motion calling for a ban on the manufacture and sale of loud fireworks.
Conservative councillor Alison Adamson called on the council’s Chief Executive to write to both Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister and John Swinney, Scotland’s First Minister urging a ban.
She called the current firework legislation in Scotland “a toothless tiger”.
The motion calling for a ban on the sale to the general public of noise making fireworks was passed without amendment.
Councillor Adamson told a meeting of the full council: “The current legislation is woefully inadequate- a toothless tiger in fact. Noise levels have never been dealt with, considering the legal framework that is in place.”
She added: “The noise making fireworks are attractive to the anti-social element that create misery, stress and fear within all of our communities.
“Pet owners, farmers, ex-service personnel, parents of young children, vulnerable people like the elderly, people who are neuro-diverse or who suffer from mental health or anxiety conditions and animal rescue centres and zoos, all are being subjected to loud fireworks. There’s absolutely no need for it.”
The councillor pointed to the “unbearable pressure”put on emergency services and the NHS as the result of firework misuse.
“The attraction is the loud bang, the louder the better for some, and removing that element would make a huge difference to that attractiveness.”
Councillor Adamson reiterated her belief in the inadequacy of existing regulations- including the introduction of Firework Control Zones- pointing to disturbances in Edinburgh since the legislation came into force.
She told the meeting that a Private Members Bill was currently going through Westminster calling for a reduction in firework noise from a maximum of 120 decibels down to 90 decibels. That was, she said, the difference between a jet engine or chainsaw and standing next to a motorcycle or subway train. Both were capable of causing hearing damage.
She reminded the meeting that police had recovered fireworks caches in West Lothian last year valued at between £70,000 and £100,000. These were not for family friendly events, she said . She also pointed to the illegal misuse of pyrotechnics at last weekend’s Falkirk v Hearts football fixture in Edinburgh.
Seconding the motion Councillor Peter Heggie, fellow Conservative and deputy Provost told the meeting:” I think we can all agree the use of fireworks has changed over a generation. It’s now anti-social behaviour, there’s no getting away from it. In certain streets it is constant for close to a month.
“There’s no way that can be acceptable. Police and fire crews are under incredible pressure as it is. It comes down considering your neighbours.”
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