- Published
Passengers who play loud music on buses in England could be fined up to £100 under an attempt by the government to crack down on antisocial behaviour.
uncertain
who → publish → behaviour
The measures also seek to tackle littering, vaping and threatening behaviour to help improve journeys on all forms of public transport.
asserted
measures → seek → transport
Offenders on buses could be issued with the fines under new powers for local authorities.
uncertain
Offenders → issue → authorities
A national campaign asking rail passengers "share the carriage, not the noise" is also being launched.
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campaign → ask → carriage
The proposed crackdown has been welcomed by campaigners, but some have questioned how it can be enforced.
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it → propose → campaigners
"We've all been on the train when someone starts blasting music or videos from their phone.
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someone → start → phone
It gets on your nerves and can quickly spoil the journey," said Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
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Burnham → get → journey
Under existing powers, those who are asked to stop and refuse could be removed from a train or fined up to £1,000.
uncertain
who → exist → 1,000
The phenomenon has been given many terms - including loudcasting or sodcasting - and in recent years, Ofcom, YouGov and Transport for London (TfL) have all published polls showing the vast majority of people dislike it.
asserted
majority → give → it
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said small changes in behaviour "can make a massive difference to people's experience on public transport".
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changes → say → transport
The government said it had issued new guidance to local authorities on powers - which were introduced earlier this year - to help them crackdown on loud music and other antisocial behaviour on buses in England.
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them → say → England
These new powers allow them to impose new rules on buses, but still need to be signed off by the Transport Secretary
Those who commit offences could face fixed penalties of up to £100.
The government says bus drivers will not be responsible for enforcing the new rules.
uncertain
drivers → allow → rules
It says authorised officers, including Transport Safety Officers and the Police, will deal with the incidents.
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officers → say → incidents
Meanwhile a new national campaign aims to remind rail passengers to "share the carriage, not the noise", to improve journeys for everyone
The campaign will be launched across operator websites, social media, and in carriages.
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campaign → aim → carriages
The government said this would end the current "patchwork" of approaches across different rail operators, and help create "a clear, consistent message across the network".
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this → say → network
The general secretary of the TSSA transport union, Maryam Eslamdoust, said tackling antisocial behaviour on public transport was "a step in the right direction".
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tackling → say → direction
However, she added that the government must also "urgently confront the violence, threats and abuse faced by passengers and transport workers".
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government → add → passengers
"Increasing the budget for British Transport Police is vital to protect people, respond to incidents and bring violent offenders to justice," she said.
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she → increase → justice
Michael Solomon Williams from the Campaign for Better Transport told the BBC antisocial behaviour could be a "real deterrent" to people using public transport, especially those with different accessibility needs.
uncertain
behaviour → tell → needs
He also questioned how the new measures will be enforced.
asserted
measures → question → ?
"When local authorities are required to do the enforcement there are perhaps some question marks about how a local police force might be called upon on bus services, for example, where we don't tend to see British Transport Police."
uncertain
we → require → Police
Richard Holden MP, Shadow Transport Secretary, said: "After we led the charge against antisocial behaviour on public transport last summer, Ministers have worked out that nobody wants to endure pounding techno or blaring hip hop on a packed train or bus.
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nobody → say → train
But passengers and railway staff face far more serious problems.
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passengers → face → problems
Assaults against rail staff have risen by 68%, while prosecutions have slumped under Labour.
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prosecutions → rise → Labour
It's time for Andy Burnham to get serious about enforcement, tackling violence and protecting those who work on our railways."
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who → get → railways
Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson, Olly Glover MP said: "Tough talk means nothing without enforcement.
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talk → say → enforcement
Unless the Government funds transport safety officers on the ground, these new rules won't be worth the paper they're printed on."
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they → fund → ground
Independent watchdog Transport Focus said research it had published in June showed personal safety and security was now fundamental to passengers' confidence in the railway.
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safety → say → railway
"Four in 10 passengers say that anti-social behaviour has made them feel vulnerable when travelling," said Alex Campbell, Transport Focus's director of policy and insight.
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Campbell → say → policy
"Measures that reduce nuisance behaviour, such as playing loud music and vaping, can help improve people's experience and encourage more people to choose public transport."
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that → reduce → transport
The Aporia
