Passengers playing music without headphones and vaping on buses face £1,000 fine in anti-social behaviour crackdown
Passengers who play music without headphones or vape on buses could face £1,000 fines under new anti-social behaviour powers.Summary
Local authorities in England are being encouraged to use new powers to fine passengers for nuisance behaviour on buses, including playing music without headphones, vaping and littering, with penalties potentially reaching £1,000. A campaign launching on Monday will remind people to use headphones on trains with the slogan "share the journey, not the noise". Prime Minister Andy Burnham said loud music on public transport gets on people's nerves and spoils journeys, while Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander called the behaviour frustrating. The guidance, published by the Department for Transport, explains how bus networks can set and enforce their own rules, which must be signed off by the Transport Secretary and will be enforced by specialist transport safety officers rather than bus drivers. The Liberal Democrats, who previously called for action against "headphone dodgers", welcomed the move but said enforcement needs proper funding, while Unite general secretary Sharon Graham criticised the measures as "wholly inadequate" to protect transport workers from escalating abuse. Shadow transport secretary Richard Holden accused Labour of catching up with the Conservatives on the issue and called for tougher enforcement against violence toward rail staff.
(Source：LBC)
