Britain is tightening enforcement against passengers who play music or videos out loud without headphones on buses and trains, targeting what are commonly called public transport nuisance riders.
Playing Music or Video Without Headphones Could Cost £100 on Buses
According to the BBC, the British government announced new enforcement guidelines on the 19th aimed at reducing noise and antisocial behavior on public transport.
The measures are designed to curb behavior that disturbs other passengers on buses. Playing music or videos loudly on a mobile phone without wearing headphones is a prime target. Violators can face fines of up to £100 (about 180,000 won).
Using e-cigarettes on buses, littering and threatening behavior are also covered.
7 in 10 Passengers Report Discomfort, and Some Have Given Up Buses
Noise on public transport has been a persistent issue in Britain. Playing music or videos without headphones on public transport is known there as "loudcasting" or "sodcasting."
A survey conducted by Transport for London (TfL) and others found that seven in 10 public transport users feel uncomfortable when other passengers play music without headphones or talk loudly on the phone.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said everyone has experienced a situation in which someone plays music or video loudly on a mobile phone, adding that such behavior is not only irritating but can ruin an entire journey.
Some riders have abandoned public transport altogether because of noise and other passengers' behavior. Justin, a resident of Newcastle upon Tyne, told the BBC that they stopped taking buses because of repeated noise and antisocial behavior.
They pointed to the problem of being forced to listen to videos or music played by others on a bus, describing it as a situation in which you are made to hear the sound of unwanted social media content.
The discomfort felt by passengers goes beyond noise and extends to safety concerns.
Alex Campbell, a staff member at Transport Focus, Britain's independent transport watchdog, said four in 10 passengers reported feeling anxious during journeys because of antisocial behavior. Reducing behavior that inconveniences other passengers, such as playing loud music or using e-cigarettes, could help improve the travel environment and increase ridership, Campbell said.
Transport unions also welcomed the government's response. Maryam Eslamdoust, general secretary of the transport union TSSA, called the measures a step in the right direction to tackle antisocial behavior on public transport.
The government plans to pair publicity campaigns with enforcement. On buses, it will draw on local governments' enforcement powers, while on railways it will run a campaign urging passengers to use headphones and keep noise down.
Britain has banned loud music, singing and other disruptive behavior on trains since 2005. Passengers who refuse requests to lower the noise can be removed from a train or fined up to £1,000 (about 1.9 million won).