UK to ban listening to music on public transport

The rail campaign carries the slogan “Share the journey, not the noise.” Posters will appear in carriages and at stations, while announcements will remind passengers not to disturb others by playing audio loudly on their phones.

Passengers who refuse to turn off the sound when asked by authorized staff may be removed from the train at the next station. They could also face fines of up to £1,000 under existing rules.

The measures also cover buses. Local transport authorities in England have been given powers to introduce fines of up to £100 for loud music, vaping, littering and threatening behavior. Guidance published on October 19 explains how to put these measures into practice.

Transport safety officers and police, rather than drivers, will deal with offenders. Passengers will first be asked to stop disturbing others and have the rules explained to them. Those who refuse to comply may face enforcement action.

“It is so frustrating when the actions of an inconsiderate few spoil journeys for the rest of us, whether that is vaping, littering or blasting music out loud,” Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said.

The bus fines will not apply automatically everywhere. Local rules must first be approved by the Transport Secretary.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the UK would expand its use of artificial intelligence to protect government systems from cyberattacks.