The Liberal Democrats are calling for a ban on the scourge of people playing music out loud on public transport, proposing fines of up to £1,000 for those who flout the rules.
Sir Ed Davey’s party is seeking to amend the Bus Services Bill, currently under consideration in the House of Lords, to prohibit the playing of music and videos from mobile phones on public transport across England. They suggest that this change could be implemented using existing railway byelaws, which already outlaw behaviours such as littering, spitting, and using offensive language.
The Lib Dems argue that local authorities could enforce similar rules on buses by strengthening current antisocial behaviour laws. Under their proposed changes, anyone found breaching the ban could face a hefty fine of up to £1,000.
Lisa Smart, the Lib Dems’ spokesperson for home affairs, said that antisocial behaviour makes people “dread their daily commute” and pointed out that “headphone dodgers playing loud music on buses and trains are some of the worst offenders.”
She continued: “Whether you’re heading to work, taking your kids to school, or simply trying to enjoy a moment of peace, everyone deserves to feel safe and respected on public transport.”
Smart also highlighted: “Time and time again, I hear from people who say they feel too intimidated to speak up when someone is blasting music or other content from a phone or speaker.”
The Liberal Democrats are advocating for stringent measures against individuals who display blatant disregard for others by blasting loud music in shared spaces, including imposing fines of up to £1,000. They said: “It’s time to take a stand for the quiet majority who just want to get from A to B in peace.”
According to a Home Office source, officials have been instructed to work swiftly to determine the most effective way to utilise fines in tackling antisocial behaviour. They stated: “Under the Tories, on-the-spot fines for antisocial behaviour fell into practical disuse from the record levels set under the last Labour government.
“There is now work to be done to understand how and where these kind of fines can be most useful and the Home Secretary has instructed her officials to carry out this analysis at pace, so that we can give the police the fullest range of powers possible to take effective action against anti-social behaviour, whatever form it takes and wherever it occurs.”
Shadow transport secretary Gareth Bacon echoed the sentiment, saying: “Everyone deserves to travel in peace. Playing loud music on public transport may seem like a small thing, but it speaks towards a growing tolerance of antisocial behaviour that chips away at public civility.”
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