Story perspectives

Mayor Burnham Announces £100 Fines for Loud Phone Use

By Drooid · Oct 19, 2026, 6:04 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Mayor Andy Burnham announced a £100 fine crackdown on loud phone use on public transport.
Department for Transport launched a “share the journey, not the noise” campaign urging headphone use.
Transport safety officers and police, not drivers, will issue £100 penalties for loud music, vaping, littering.
Union Unite’s Sharon Graham called the measures well-meaning but wholly inadequate for transport workers.

History

Historical Context

On 17 February 2003, Mayor Ken Livingstone launched London’s £5 congestion charge, cutting vehicle entries by about 15 % in its first year and funding bus improvements. The scheme’s number-plate enforcement set a precedent for penalties, later expanded by TfL and the Department for Transport. Today Mayor Andy Burnham proposes £100 fines for loud phone use on buses, echoing the charge’s use of fines to modify commuter habits.

1 of 2

Story summary

Mayor Andy Burnham announced a £100 fine crackdown on loud phone use on public transport.
Department for Transport launched a “share the journey, not the noise” campaign urging headphone use.
Transport safety officers and police, not drivers, will issue £100 penalties for loud music, vaping, littering.
Union Unite’s Sharon Graham called the measures well-meaning but wholly inadequate for transport workers.

1 / 2