Fine people who play loud music on trains, says Davey

Keir Starmer has been urged to fine nuisance public transport users who play music out loud on buses and trains up to £1,000.

- ARCHIE MITCHELL

Amid growing public anger at what the party dubbed “headphone dodgers”, Sir Ed Davey is pushing for a crack down on the antisocial behaviour.

The Liberal Democrats are seeking a change in the law that would explicitly ban playing music and videos out loud on English public transport.

Those who breach the ban would be hit with £1,000 fines, which the Lib Dems said would once again allow commuters to “enjoy a moment of peace”.

A poll commissioned by the party found that more than half of Brits said they would not feel empowered to ask somebody to turn down their music on public transport. More than a third said they have experienced people playing loud noises often or sometimes, the Savanta poll found.

And it showed that women are the worst affected, with two thirds of female passengers, compared with less than half of men, saying they would not ask somebody to stop the antisocial practice.