TfL launches campaign against loud music on public transport and the English finally have an official excuse to complain

Transport for London (TfL) has launched a campaign against one of passengers’ most irritating habits: playing music or videos without headphones. Afisha.London explains why this matter, and how the English have mastered the art of showing their displeasure in ways that everyone understands — even if nothing is ever said out loud.

This article is also available in Russian here

The Underground alone carries more than 3 million passenger journeys a day — over a billion a year. The Elizabeth Line adds around 700,000 weekday journeys. In that scale, even one person with a speaker can spoil the journey for an entire carriage.

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According to a TfL survey, 70 per cent of Londoners admit that loud conversations and music on public transport annoy them. By law, offenders can be fined up to £1,000, yet in 2024 not a single penalty was issued. Officials are now considering “instant fines” that could be applied during the journey itself.

The campaign begins with posters on the Elizabeth Line before spreading across the entire TfL network. It is part of the #TravelKind initiative, reminding passengers that public transport is a shared space and everyone’s comfort matters.

Photo: TfL

Anthropologist Kate Fox, in her book Watching the English, notes that Britons rarely say directly that someone is bothering them — but they have their own arsenal of signals.

– A loud sigh, the classic weapon of passive protest.
– Rustling a newspaper or book in a pointed attempt to “concentrate despite the noise”.
– The silent, meaningful stare — no words required.
– A polite comment into the air: “How lovely it is when a carriage is quiet…”
– Wordless solidarity: catching a neighbour’s eye and sharing a faint smile — instant alliance against the culprit.

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Now there’s one more item to add to the list: making an official complaint through TfL. That, perhaps, is the most British victory of all — keeping both politeness and order intact.

So, for those who think the entire carriage should hear their playlist or video call: please, put your headphones on. London appreciates it.

Cover photo: Andrea De Santis / Unsplash

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