WARRINGTON North MP Charlotte Nichols has welcomed new measures to tackle antisocial behaviour on public transport, including fines of up to £100 for passengers who refuse to stop playing loud music or videos on buses.
The measures, announced by the Government today, Monday (October 19), also include a nationwide campaign encouraging rail passengers to use headphones rather than play music and videos aloud on their phones.
Ms Nichols said action was long overdue, describing the crackdown as a welcome step towards making public transport more pleasant for everyone.
She said: “Finally! We are clamping down on passengers who blast music and videos from their phones. I feel like this was something which was not happening so much only a few years ago.
“Everyone deserves to be able to take public transport without being disturbed by other people’s phones. Not only this but we are taking action to deal with all forms of anti-social behaviour on trains and buses, including vaping and littering.”
Under the new approach, local transport authorities across England will be able to introduce and enforce their own rules on antisocial behaviour on buses, with fines of up to £100 available for offences.
The powers, enabled by the Bus Services Act 2025, will also cover behaviour such as vaping and littering.
Bus drivers will not be responsible for enforcing the rules. Instead, authorised officers, including transport safety officers and police, will deal with incidents.
Officers will initially engage with passengers and explain the rules and their impact on others before taking enforcement action against those who refuse to comply.
On the rail network, a new industry-led campaign will promote the message “share the carriage, not the noise”, reminding passengers to use headphones and respect fellow travellers.
Announcements, posters and messages across railway stations, carriages, websites and social media will highlight the rules already in place.
Passengers who refuse to stop playing music or videos aloud when asked by authorised rail staff could be removed from a train at the next station or face fines of up to £1,000 under existing railway byelaws.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the measures were designed to tackle everyday frustrations that could spoil journeys for other passengers.
He said: “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.
“So we’re launching a nationwide campaign reminding passengers to use headphones on trains. On top of that, we’re giving local leaders new powers to tackle loud music, vaping and littering on buses.
“It’s a simple thing, but one that will make journeys that little bit better for all of us.”
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said inconsiderate behaviour by a minority of passengers could have a significant impact on the experience of others.
She said the measures would give local leaders greater powers to shape bus services around their communities while encouraging more consistent action across the rail network.
The Government says the rail campaign will replace the patchwork of individual initiatives operated by different train companies with a consistent national message, supported by publicly owned train operators.
For passengers in Warrington and across the country, the measures are intended to make journeys more comfortable by tackling behaviour that can cause disruption and frustration for fellow travellers.
