Government Targets Loud Music and Antisocial Behavior on Public Transport with Fines Up to £100

Bus passengers in England who play loud music, vape, litter, or engage in disruptive behavior could be fined up to £100 under new guidance issued to local authorities.

The measures, designed to curb public transport nuisance, allow local councils to establish and enforce byelaws against antisocial behavior once approved by the Transport Secretary. Enforcement will fall to designated safety officers and police rather than bus drivers. 

At the same time, ministers are launching a national awareness campaign for rail networks titled "share the carriage, not the noise", reminding train passengers that existing laws allow fines of up to £1,000 or removal from services for playing loud audio on public transport.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham highlighted the motivation behind the initiative, stating:

"We've all been on the train when someone starts blasting music or videos from their phone. It gets on your nerves and can quickly spoil the journey…It's a simple thing, but one that will make journeys that little bit better for all of us."

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander supported the push, adding:

"It is so frustrating when the actions of an inconsiderate few spoil journeys for the rest of us, whether that is vaping, littering or blasting music out loud. Even small changes in behaviour can make a massive difference to people's experience on public transport."

Minister for Science, Research and Innovation Chris McDonald said on BBC Breakfast that passengers subjected to unwanted noise can report incidents to staff "or the British Transport Police if they wish", noting that travelers "don't have to tackle the individual themselves if they don't feel confident to do that."

While passenger watchdog Transport Focus welcomed steps to improve commuter confidence, pointing to research where 40% of passengers felt vulnerable due to antisocial behavior, critics and union representatives raised questions about practical enforcement.

Sharon Graham, general secretary of the Unite union, described the proposals as inadequate for addressing deeper safety concerns faced by staff, saying that while the measures are "well meaning" they are still "wholly inadequate" to deal with the "avalanche of escalating abuse" that transport workers face. 

"The proposed penalties are not going to deal with the issues facing workers,” she said. “Our members are demanding and deserve protections at work that these proposals do not address."

TSSA union general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust concurred that while the policy was "a step in the right direction", ministers must "urgently confront the violence, threats and abuse faced by passengers and transport workers."

Political opponents criticized the government's approach, arguing that physical presence and broader safety remain unaddressed:

• Liberal Democrats: Transport spokesperson Olly Glover argued that "Unless the government funds transport safety officers on the ground, these new rules won't be worth the paper they're printed on."
• Conservatives: Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden stated that the Conservative Party had "led the charge" against public transport disturbance last year, adding: "Assaults against rail staff have risen by 68%, while prosecutions have slumped under Labour. It's time for Andy Burnham to get serious about enforcement, tackling violence and protecting those who work on our railways."

Representatives from the Campaign for Better Transport added that effective implementation remains crucial, noting that local police forces are rarely deployed on bus routes in the same manner as the British Transport Police on rail networks.