Fine 'headphone dodgers' £1,000 for playing loud music on buses and trains, urge Lib Dems

23 April 2025, 22:34 | Updated: 24 April 2025, 06:38

Playing music out loud on public transport should be made illegal, the Liberal Democrats have said, with calls for fines of up to £1,000 for offenders.

The Lib Dems are looking to amend the Bus Services Bill currently making its way through the House of Lords to outlaw playing music and videos out loud from a phone on public transport in England.

They propose that the change could be brought in using railway byelaws, which already prohibit behaviours such as littering, spitting and offensive language.

Sir Ed Davey's party say that local authorities could impose the same rules to ban music on buses by strengthening existing antisocial behaviour laws.

Under their plans, people who breach a ban would face a fine of up to £1,000.

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Lisa Smart, the Lib Dems’ home affairs spokesperson, said antisocial behaviour means people “dread their daily commute” and that “headphone dodgers playing loud music on buses and trains are some of the worst offenders”.

She added: “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.

“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.

“That’s why the Liberal Democrats are calling for tough action on those who show complete disregard for others by playing loud music in shared spaces, including fines of up to £1,000.

“It’s time to take a stand for the quiet majority who just want to get from A to B in peace.”

A Home Office source said officials have been tasked to work “at pace” to determine how fines can best be used to tackle antisocial behaviour.

They said: “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 said: “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.”