England guidance targets people playing loud music on buses, who could face a £100 fine

Bus fines and local powers

Local authorities could issue fines of up to £100 to people playing loud music on buses in England. The government has provided new guidance on powers introduced earlier this year, aimed at addressing noise and other antisocial behaviour.

The measures are part of a government effort to improve conduct on public transport. The guidance is intended to help local authorities use their powers on bus services.

Noise on public transport

Loud music and videos played from phones have attracted several labels, including “loudcasting” and “sodcasting.” Ofcom, YouGov and Transport for London have published polls in recent years showing that most people dislike the behaviour. A new national campaign is also asking rail passengers to “share the carriage, not the noise”. Its stated aim is to make journeys better for everyone.

Questions over enforcement

Maryam Eslamdoust, general secretary of the TSSA transport union, described action against antisocial behaviour on public transport as “a step in the right direction”. She also said increasing the British Transport Police budget was vital to protecting people, responding to incidents and bringing violent offenders to justice.

The article then attributes concerns about enforcement to an unnamed speaker, using the pronoun “he”. The speaker questioned how local authorities would enforce the rules and how local police might be called to bus services, where British Transport Police are not usually present.

The same speaker said transport workers and passengers face more serious problems, citing a 68% rise in assaults against rail staff and a slump in prosecutions under Labour. He argued that transport safety officers need government funding for the new rules to be effective.

Passenger concerns

Alex Campbell, Transport Focus’s director of policy and insight, said four in 10 passengers reported that antisocial behaviour had made them feel vulnerable while travelling. The report gives no further detail about how the new bus fines will be applied in practice. Its account of enforcement concerns focuses on the role of local authorities and the availability of police support.