The Liberal Democrats are leading a campaign to impose fines of up to £1,000 on individuals who disturb fellow passengers on public transport by playing loud music through their headphones. Dubbed “headphone dodgers,” these individuals often intimidate others, preventing them from addressing the issue. The party is calling for new measures to safeguard the peace and comfort of the majority of commuters.
A study conducted by the party revealed that nearly 40% of individuals have experienced the annoyance of loud music or videos while using public transit. In response, the Liberal Democrats are urging the government to crack down on this disruptive behavior.
Lisa Smart, the party’s Home Affairs spokesperson, expressed her concerns, stating, “Far too many people dread their daily commute because of the blight of antisocial behavior, and headphone dodgers playing loud music on buses and trains are some of the worst offenders.”
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The investigation also found that over half of UK residents are hesitant to request the volume to be lowered. Smart emphasized, “Time and time again, I hear from people who say they feel too intimidated to speak up when someone is blasting music or other content from a phone or speaker.”
The Liberal Democrats are pushing for an amendment to the Bus Services Bill, currently progressing through Parliament, to introduce new regulations to penalize ‘headphone dodgers.’ They are also advocating for updates to railway bylaws to address the issue of playing music and videos at high volumes.
According to a Sevanta poll involving 2,174 adults, 63% of women and 46% of men would feel uncomfortable confronting individuals playing loud music on public transport.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch acknowledged the nuisance caused by individuals playing loud music on public transport and expressed concerns over the potential effectiveness of imposing £1,000 fines. However, she emphasized the need to address antisocial behavior on public transportation.
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