Susan Hall proposes ban on commuters playing loud music on the Tube (2024)

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The Tory candidate for Mayor of London has announced that she will ban commuters from playing loud music or taking calls on loud speaker if she wins the upcoming Mayoral Election.

Susan Hall's radical proposals comes on the same day that a shock poll shows her closing the gap on her Labour opponent Sadiq Khan.

Ms Hall has suggested that if elected she will update Transport for London's (TfL) conditions of carriage to include a ban on people playing loud music.

Currently, only passengers that are under-16 and use a child's Oyster card are banned from playing loud music.

Under Ms Hall's proposal all passengers on any TfL service, which aside from the Underground also includes buses and the Elizabeth Line among other services, could face being kicked off public transport and being handed a £1,,000 fine as part of a clampdown on anti-social behaviour.

The proposals would follow in the footsteps of former Tory mayor Boris Johnson's alcohol ban on the Tube which was introduced in 2008.

TfL has since admitted the policy is rarely enforced. The Evening Standard reports that in 2023 only 24 passengers were prosecuted for carrying open bottles and cans of alcohol.

The Tory candidate for Mayor has also announced fresh policies to address the recent phenomenon of people filming themselves dancing and lip-syncing on the Underground. This is part of a TikTok trend started by an influencer known as 'Tube Girl.'

However, Ms Hall does not plan to ban these such videos, but instead as Mayor she says she will lead a crackdown on the disturbing TikTok trend where people film themselves attacking commuters on the Underground as a part of a sick 'chaos for clout' trend.

In a statement, Ms Hall said: 'People deserve a safe and quiet journey home and yet under Sadiq Khan, the London Underground is less safe and less civil than it used to be.

'I will overhaul the rules to ban disruptive anti-social behaviour and ensure that existing rules are enforced better by TfL staff.

'Londoners have been raising concerns about this issue for years, but Sadiq Khan won't listen. I am listening and on May 2nd, you can vote for a Mayor who listens.'

Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan has attacked Ms Hall's proposal claiming.

A spokesperson for Mr Khan told the Evening Standard: 'Implementing formal restrictions would likely be very difficult, requiring bus and Tube staff to police how passengers operated their individual phones.

'It would require huge extra spending on enforcement and put impossible pressures on hard-working transport staff.'

Ms Hall's announcement today comes as a poll from YouGov appears to show the Tories closing the gap on Labour as the campaign reaches its final two weeks.

However, although the YouGov research indicates the Labour incumbent's advantage has been cut by six points since February, he still enjoys a commanding lead.

Mr Khan, who is seeking a third term in City Hall, was on 46 per cent in the latest survey, with Ms Hall on 27 per cent.

The numbers underline the sense of gloom enveloping the Tories ahead of the local elections on May 2.

MailOnline have approached the Labour Party for a comment.

TFLLondonSadiq KhanBoris JohnsonAlcohol

Read more:

• Tory mayoral candidate Susan Hall: Passengers who play music out loud should be thrown off the Tube | Evening Standard