Passengers who play loud music on buses in England face fines of up to £100 under new government measures designed to tackle antisocial behaviour on public transport. According to BBC News, the crackdown also targets littering, vaping and threatening behaviour to enhance the experience of travellers across all forms of public transport.
Local authorities have been granted new powers to enforce these rules on buses, with offenders issued fixed penalties under the scheme. The government has issued fresh guidance to help councils implement the measures, which were introduced earlier this year. Unlike trains, where laws against loud music and singing have existed since 2005, buses have lacked equivalent protections until now.
The Department for Transport's guidance outlines a three-step enforcement approach: officers should first engage with the passenger, explain the rules and their impact, then enforce if necessary. The guidance specifies that covered conduct includes amplified music that interferes with others' ability to travel, abusive or aggressive language, and consuming alcohol, with the maximum fixed penalty set at £100.
The Bus Services Act 2025 created these powers for local transport authorities to establish bus and bus-premises byelaws, with separate authority granted to Transport for London to make equivalent rules on its services. Each local authority must submit its proposed byelaws to the Secretary of State for approval before enforcement can begin.
How will enforcement work?
The government has stated that bus drivers will not be responsible for enforcing the new rules. Instead, authorised officers including Transport Safety Officers and the Police will handle incidents. Minister for Science, Research and Innovation Chris McDonald told BBC Breakfast that passengers can complain to staff or contact the British Transport Police if they wish, without needing to confront offenders themselves. He noted that people can text the British Transport Police to report violations.
Transport for London, which operates London Underground, already maintains byelaws prohibiting people from playing music or content aloud. The authority said that enforcement officers will initially ask passengers to stop, with most complying at this stage. If someone refuses, they may be asked to leave the train or reported for possible prosecution.
Why is this change needed?
The phenomenon of playing loud music on public transport has acquired various names including loudcasting and sodcasting. In recent years, Ofcom, YouGov and Transport for London have all published surveys showing the vast majority of people dislike the behaviour. Research published by the independent watchdog Transport Focus in June revealed that personal safety and security are now fundamental to passengers' confidence in railways. Four in 10 passengers reported that antisocial behaviour has made them feel vulnerable when travelling, according to Alex Campbell, Transport Focus's director of policy and insight.
Michael Solomon Williams from the Campaign for Better Transport told the BBC that antisocial behaviour could be a significant deterrent to public transport use, particularly for those with different accessibility needs. However, he raised concerns about enforcement, questioning how local police forces might be mobilised on bus services where British Transport Police do not typically operate.
What about rail services?
Existing laws have prohibited loud music and singing on trains since 2005, though the government will now launch a national campaign reminding rail passengers to "share the carriage, not the noise". Under current powers, those asked to stop and who refuse can be removed from a train or fined up to £1,000. The campaign will be distributed across operator websites, social media and in carriages to create a consistent message across the network and end the current patchwork of approaches used by different rail operators.
The TSSA transport union's general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust welcomed the measures as "a step in the right direction" but urged the government to "urgently confront the violence, threats and abuse faced by passengers and transport workers". She emphasised that increasing the budget for British Transport Police is vital to protect people, respond to incidents and bring violent offenders to justice.
Shadow transport secretary Richard Holden said the Conservative Party had "led the charge" against antisocial behaviour on public transport last year. However, he argued that passengers and railway staff face more serious problems, noting that assaults against rail staff have risen by 68% while prosecutions have declined under Labour. He called on the government to prioritise enforcement and tackle violence to protect railway workers.
Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson Olly Glover MP expressed scepticism about the effectiveness of the new rules without adequate funding. "Unless the Government funds transport safety officers on the ground, these new rules won't be worth the paper they're printed on," he said.
What happens next?
Local authorities must submit their proposed byelaws to the Secretary of State for approval before they can be enforced. The Department for Transport guidance requires submissions to include a proposed commencement date, meaning implementation timelines will vary across different regions. The government has not yet announced a nationwide rollout date for the measures.
Key Facts
- Fixed penalties for loud music and other antisocial behaviour on buses can reach £100 under new powers for local authorities
- Laws against loud music on trains have existed since 2005; rail passengers can be fined up to £1,000 or removed from services
- Enforcement will be handled by authorised officers including Transport Safety Officers and Police, not bus drivers
- Four in 10 rail passengers say antisocial behaviour has made them feel vulnerable when travelling, according to Transport Focus research
- Local authorities must obtain Secretary of State approval for their proposed byelaws before enforcement begins
