PM’s pledge on bus noise in danger of falling apart

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has launched a campaign to reduce noise on buses by fining passengers £100 for playing loud music without headphones, alongside addressing littering, vaping, and threatening behaviour. However, enforcement responsibilities remain unclear, with no dedicated officers assigned and local authorities rarely imposing fines, raising doubts about the campaign's effectiveness.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s initiative to reduce noise disturbance on buses faces challenges amid uncertainty over enforcement responsibilities. The campaign, launched to encourage passengers to "share the journey, not the noise," aims to discourage individuals from playing loud music without headphones, alongside efforts to tackle littering, vaping, and threatening behaviour on public transport.

Under the proposed measures, passengers who fail to use headphones while playing music on buses could face fines of £100. However, questions have arisen over who will be responsible for enforcing these rules. Science Minister Chris McDonald acknowledged that there will be no dedicated "bus police" to oversee compliance, while the Department for Transport clarified that bus drivers will not be tasked with enforcing the crackdown.

The powers to set and enforce rules on local bus networks were transferred to local authorities earlier this year. The Department for Transport recently issued guidance on how these new regulations can be applied. While the legislation grants local authorities the ability to levy fines, authorities currently holding similar powers have rarely used them. A Freedom of Information request last year revealed that fines related to noisy behaviour on buses had been issued only four times since 2020.

By contrast, train passengers who play loud music can be fined up to £1,000 if they refuse to comply with requests to stop from rail staff. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister stated that it is expected that enforcement will fall to transport safety officers, the police, and other authorised officials, rather than the general public or bus drivers. The spokesperson emphasized that passengers should not be expected to put themselves at risk in attempting to enforce the rules.

As the government seeks to improve the experience of bus travel, the effectiveness of this campaign may hinge on the clarity and capacity of local enforcement measures. Without clear leadership or increased use of existing powers, the pledge to curb noise disturbances on buses may struggle to achieve its intended impact.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.