Bus passengers in the UK could be banned from playing loud music under proposals to change the law set out by the Tories.
Commuters on train journeys could also benefit from tougher enforcement of existing rules to tackle antisocial behaviour, the Conservatives said.
Shadow transport secretary Richard Holden said passengers should not have to “endure somebody else’s choice of crap music”.
Railway byelaws currently prohibit playing music “to the annoyance of any person”, but the Tories will seek to ensure operators properly enforce the rules in future legislation, with on-the-spot fines.
RM Block
The Tories will also table changes to the Bus Services Bill currently going through parliament in London to extend similar protections to passengers on buses.
Mr Holden said: “Inconsiderate and obnoxious behaviour blights the lives of the travelling public.
“Taking public transport shouldn’t mean having to endure somebody else’s choice of crap music blasted through a speaker at full blast.
“Rail passengers need to see enforcement and swift justice for those who make people’s lives a misery and bus passengers need the same laws to protect them against this nuisance.”
The Liberal Democrats have already pushed for similar action, calling for fines of up to £1,000 (€1,150) for “headphone dodgers” who play music out loud on buses and trains.
At the time of the Lib Dem call in April, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch expressed concern about how workable that would be, saying: “I don’t know whether many of the people who do those things could even afford to pay £1,000 fines.
“I’m not sure whether it would work, we would have to look a little bit more at that, but I’m very, very much against antisocial behaviour and I think that that’s something that we could be looking more at.” - PA
