Tyne and Wear Metro passengers who play loud music on trains can be removed from the service, after Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a national crackdown on so-called “headphone dodgers”. The move is part of a wider effort to make public transport journeys more peaceful.
New campaign targets loud music on public transport
On Monday, Burnham unveiled a campaign to remind people not to listen to music or play videos on trains without wearing headphones. Those who ignore the warning could face fines of up to £1,000 under existing laws. The Government also issued new guidance allowing local transport authorities to issue £100 penalties for similar nuisance behaviour, as well as littering or vaping, on buses.
As a local rail network, the Metro is not governed by the same byelaws as the national rail system. However, its own restrictions prohibit fare evasion, littering, vaping, the consumption of alcohol, and anti-social behaviour.
Nexus response and removal policy
Kevin Storey, operations director at Metro operator Nexus, said playing loud music was “not acceptable on Metro” and that anyone caught doing so could be removed from the train. He said: “Any new initiatives to deter anti-social behaviour on public transport are welcome. The Government announcement in relation to ‘loudcasting’ represents a change to the bylaws on the national railway network, and on buses, so that those operators can issue fines for playing loud music on their trains.
“As a local rail service, the Tyne and Wear Metro is governed by its own set of bylaws, which prohibit fare evasion, littering, vaping, the consumption of alcohol, and anti-social behaviour. We will be looking carefully at what the Government has published today to see what implications this has for Metro and will communicate any changes to our customers.
“However, the playing of loud music is not acceptable on Metro. Anyone caught doing this by our customer service teams or our travel safe officers can be removed from the train.”
Political reactions and concerns
North East mayor Kim McGuinness said she hoped the new crackdown would help “finally put an end to the self-appointed naff DJs spoiling everyone else’s journey”. The Labour mayor added: “We know us Brits like to show our annoyance by tutting and eye rolling, but when someone is blaring music or Tiktok staring at their phone they’re totally oblivious to the glares of everyone else wanting to throw that same phone out of the window.”
However, Unite union general secretary Sharon Graham warned that Monday’s “well meaning” announcement was not enough to deal with an “avalanche of escalating abuse” faced by transport workers. She said: “The proposed penalties are not going to deal with the issues facing workers. Our members are demanding and deserve protections at work that these proposals do not address.”
Conservative shadow transport secretary Richard Holden 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. But passengers and railway staff face far more serious problems. Assaults against rail staff have risen by 68%, while prosecutions have slumped under Labour. It’s time for Andy Burnham to get serious about enforcement, tackling violence and protecting those who work on our railways.”
