People playing loud music on buses could face £100 fine

People playing loud music on buses in England could face fines of up to £100.

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The UK government is introducing new measures to crack down on antisocial behaviour on public transport, including loud music on buses in England. According to the BBC News — Business, passengers who play loud music on buses could be fined up to £100 under the new powers for local authorities.

The measures also aim to tackle littering, vaping, and threatening behaviour to improve journeys on all forms of public transport. A national campaign asking rail passengers to 'share the carriage, not the noise' is also being launched to promote a more considerate environment on public transport.

The proposed crackdown has been welcomed by campaigners, but some have questioned how it can be enforced. Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that loud music on public transport can quickly spoil the journey and that small changes in behaviour can make a massive difference to people's experience on public transport.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said that bus drivers will not be responsible for enforcing the new rules, and that authorised officers, including Transport Safety Officers and the Police, will deal with the incidents. The government has issued new guidance to local authorities on powers to help them crack down on loud music and other antisocial behaviour on buses in England.

The new powers allow local authorities to impose new rules on buses, but still need to be signed off by the Transport Secretary. Those who commit offences could face fixed penalties of up to £100. The government says that the new campaign will end the current 'patchwork' of approaches across different rail operators and help create a clear, consistent message across the network.