The Government have announced that from Monday the 19th of October passengers caught vaping on public transport could face up to a £100 fine.
New guidance published by the Government could now mean that anybody caught vaping on a tram, bus or train could be either removed, fined, or any other consequence deemed appropriate.
The guidance – which also includes acts of littering, presenting acts of threatening behaviour, or disturbing passengers with loud music/videos – will aim to improve passenger travels.
This is the first major change to powers since the Government passed a law against playing loud music on public transport in 2005.
Audio reminders will be put on trains to inform travellers of the new rules, and the crackdown has been welcomed by campaigners.
The new powers, set by the Bus Services Act 2025, now means all English local transport authorities can set and enforce their own rules for their area. Each byelaw will need to be signed-off by the Secretary of State for Transport.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “It is so frustrating when the actions of an inconsiderate few spoil journeys for the rest of us”
“That’s why we’re empowering local leaders to shape bus services around the needs of their communities”, she continued.
Bus drivers will not have the same powers as authorised officers, such as transport safety officers and police, with those expected to deal with incidents.
Officers will be follow a 3-step approach:
- Engaging with the person
2. Explaining the rules and their impact on other passengers
3. Taking enforcement action if they refuse to comply
This industry-lead change has been received positively by Unions and Transport workers, and passengers on Manchester’s transport network have been reacting.
A mother of two said that “it’s nice that I can get my kids on the train knowing there won’t be loud music playing” whilst another said “it was a joke anyone could do it anyway!”
A teenager vaping on the bus joked that “they wouldn’t do [anything]” and that these new measure “don’t matter”.
Others online are asking the Government to not forget about those who take phone calls on public transport whilst others are sceptical about how truly effective these measures will be.
Commenting on the introduction of powers, 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”
“It’s a simple thing, but one that will make journeys that little bit better for all of us,” the PM continued.
Shadow Conservative Transport Secretary Richard Holden said that the party had “led the charge” against antisocial behaviour but that workers and passengers faced much more serious problems.
The transport spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, Olly Glover, said: “Unless the government funds transport safety officers on the ground, these new rules won’t be worth the paper they’re printed on.”
Gov.uk states that 3.67 billion passenger journeys were made in the year ending March 2025, with approximately 5.5 million adults in the UK vaping.