Local authorities across England have been issued new guidance to help them tackle antisocial behaviour on buses and at bus stations, including powers to fine passengers for offences such as vaping, littering and playing loud music.
The guidance, issued by the Department for Transport today (19th October), explains how local transport authorities can introduce and enforce byelaws under powers established by the Bus Services Act 2025.
The measures are intended to improve passengers’ safety and comfort, while giving councils greater flexibility to respond to problems affecting their local bus networks.
Under the new powers, authorities can introduce fixed penalty notices of up to £100 for people who breach relevant byelaws. Examples of behaviour that could be targeted include threatening or abusive conduct, vandalism, consuming alcohol, littering and playing music or videos without headphones.
The guidance also covers behaviour at bus premises, including bus stations and shelters, with local authorities able to define the facilities covered by their own byelaws.
The government said the measures would help ensure passengers and transport staff feel safe when using public transport, supporting its wider ambition to tackle antisocial behaviour and halve violence against women and girls within a decade.
The Bus Services Act 2025 was introduced with the aim of helping to rebuild the bus network after more than a decade of declining passenger journeys. The new provisions are also intended to address gaps in existing powers, which had prevented some combined authorities from enforcing rules consistently.
The guidance is divided into two sections: advice for local transport authorities on making byelaws, and statutory guidance on how those rules should be enforced.
Before enforcing new byelaws, authorities must obtain approval from the Secretary of State for Transport. They are also expected to consult local communities, consider representations about proposed rules and take reasonable steps to make passengers aware of what behaviour is prohibited.
The Department for Transport has provided examples of possible byelaws, while allowing authorities to tailor their approach to local circumstances.
However, the guidance stresses that enforcement should be proportionate rather than automatically punitive.
It recommends a three-stage approach known as “engage, educate, enforce”. Officers should initially seek voluntary compliance by speaking to passengers, then explain the rules and the impact of their behaviour on others. Fixed penalty notices should be considered if those steps fail to resolve the problem.
A blanket zero-tolerance approach to issuing fines is unlikely to achieve the intended results, the guidance says. Enforcement may be more effective when focused on particular locations or times where problems are most prevalent.
Authorities must not use enforcement as a means of raising revenue. They are expected to explain publicly why penalties are issued, publish their enforcement policies and make clear the offences covered, penalty levels, payment arrangements and any appeal procedures.
The guidance also places emphasis on safeguarding and the treatment of vulnerable passengers.
Officers are advised to consider whether apparent intoxication or unusual behaviour could have another explanation, such as the effects of medication or an underlying medical condition. Enforcement decisions should take account of individual circumstances, including age, disability and medical vulnerability.
Authorities must ensure their officers receive appropriate training, including in data protection, diversity and social inclusion, risk assessment, conflict management, evidence gathering and awareness of violence against women and girls. They must also have a comprehensive complaints procedure.
Fixed penalty notices offer an alternative to prosecution in the magistrates’ courts, but passengers who receive them can choose to contest the original offence in court. Authorities must gather reliable evidence, potentially including CCTV footage, body-worn camera recordings and witness statements. They should also be prepared to prosecute where a penalty remains unpaid.
The guidance encourages councils to work with neighbouring authorities, bus operators, police forces and Police and Crime Commissioners to develop consistent approaches to enforcement.
Alongside the bus measures, a new rail industry campaign is being launched to discourage ‘loudcasting’ – forcing your music on everyone else in the carriage. The campaign will remind passengers to ‘share the carriage, not the noise’. Passengers who refuse to comply with requests from authorised rail staff could be removed at the next station or face fines of up to £1,000.
For local authorities, the immediate task will be to decide which problems require action, develop suitable byelaws and establish enforcement arrangements that protect passengers while remaining fair, transparent and proportionate.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: ‘We’ve all been on the train when someone starts blasting music or videos from their phone. It gets on your nerves and can quickly spoil the journey.
‘So we’re launching a nationwide campaign reminding passengers to use headphones on trains. On top of that, we’re giving local leaders new powers to tackle loud music, vaping and littering on buses.
‘It’s a simple thing, but one that will make journeys that little bit better for all of us.’
Photo: Cương Vũ
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