The government has issued guidance enabling local authorities to use new byelaws and fines on buses while launching a national rail campaign to discourage loudcasting and other antisocial behaviour.
The government has published guidance to support local transport authorities in England as they implement newly granted powers to tackle nuisance conduct on buses, and it has launched a national rail campaign aimed at reducing so-called loudcasting on trains.
The measures combine legal tools for bus networks with an industry-led communications drive on the railways, setting out penalties, enforcement roles and the expected behavioural standards for passengers.
The package responds to long-standing complaints from travellers about loud music, vaping, littering and threatening behaviour that degrade the public transport experience.
Under the changes, fixed penalty notices of up to £100 can be used on buses for a range of offences, while rail operators will present a consistent message across stations and carriages asking passengers to “share the carriage, not the noise.” Refusal to comply with authorised rail staff can lead to removal from services or fines up to £1,000.
New bus byelaws and enforcement framework
The guidance explains how local transport authorities (LTAs) and Transport for London can create and apply bus byelaws under provisions in the Bus Services Act 2025. Those byelaws can address behaviour such as playing music aloudvapinglittering vandalism and threatening conduct at bus stops, shelters and on vehicles. Each local rule requires approval from the Secretary of State before it can be enforced.
Enforcement on buses will not fall to drivers. Instead, authorised officers — including transport safety officers and police — will implement a three-step approach: engage with the individual, explain the rule and its effect on other passengers, and then take enforcement action if compliance is refused. The guidance also supplies a Word cover sheet to help LTAs submit byelaw applications through the official online process.
National rail campaign to tackle loudcasting
To create a consistent response across the network, rail operators are coordinating an industry-wide campaign discouraging loud music and videos played without headphones. The campaign will run across operator websites, station announcements, on-board posters and social media, offering a clear and unified set of expectations for passengers. Where a passenger refuses to stop after being asked by authorised staff, they may be removed at the next station or face a fine.
Operators say the campaign will replace a patchwork of messages previously used by different companies. The approach is possible, advocates note, because of public ownership of some train operating companies, which enables a more joined-up focus on passenger experience and nuisance reduction across services.
Local and national voices on safety and enforcement
Regional leaders and transport campaigners welcomed the measures while underlining practical challenges. Mayors and combined authority representatives argued the powers close a legal gap that previously prevented consistent enforcement by combined authorities. They emphasised that most journeys are trouble-free but that visible, proportionate action will help people feel safer and more respected on their journeys.
Transport campaign organisations and passenger watchdogs highlighted the importance of enforcement that is both visible and sustained, noting that nuisance behaviour can deter groups such as disabled passengers or those with particular accessibility needs from using public transport. Trade unions and frontline staff groups reiterated the need to tackle more serious violence and threats as well, calling for sufficient policing and support for transport workers.
Practical details and scope of offences
The guidance adopts the legal definition of anti-social behaviour used in existing legislation and gives concrete examples applicable to the bus environment: throwing litter, vandalism of shelters, vaping on vehicles or premises, excessive noise from devices, rowdy conduct and the consumption of alcohol where prohibited. Local authorities can draft byelaws tailored to their networks to address these behaviours directly.
Fixed penalty notices of up to £100 are available for bus offences once a byelaw is approved and brought into force. On the rail network, existing offences remain in place: passengers who refuse to stop playing loud audio after being asked may be removed or face prosecution and fines of up to £1,000 depending on the circumstances and the operator’s enforcement procedures.
Implementation and oversight
Practical rollout depends on each LTA drafting byelaws, securing Secretary of State sign-off and resourcing authorised officers to carry out enforcement. The guidance sets out how authorities should work with bus operators and local police forces to apply rules consistently across services. For rail, the coordinated campaign aims to make expectations immediate and obvious to passengers through repeated messaging on platforms and inside carriages.
The combined approach — legal powers on buses and a unified communications push on trains — seeks to reduce everyday nuisances that affect passenger comfort and safety, encouraging considerate behaviour and reinforcing the role of authorised officers in maintaining order across public transport.
