TfL relaunches Travel Kind campaign urging headphone use on London transport

Passengers on London buses and Tube trains are being asked again to use headphones when making calls or watching videos. Transport for London relaunched its Travel Kind campaign this summer, targeting what it calls loudcasting, phone use without headphones.

The campaign follows a TfL survey of 1,000 people last year, in which 70% said they found loud music and phone calls without headphones a nuisance. Ofcom data published in July shows mobile data use in the UK rose 13% year-on-year, driven by cheaper data packages and faster 5G networks.

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Teenagers most likely to see loudcasting as acceptable

Young people are the most likely to consider loudcasting normal. In an Ofcom survey of 1,010 people in August 2022, 69% of 13-to-17-year-olds said it was acceptable to make video calls without headphones. The figure rose to 73% for listening to music and 83% for watching videos.

Harry Witchel, a physiology professor at the University of Sussex, told the BBC that loudcasting is a way for teenagers to mark social territory. He said it reflects a shift from parental to peer influence during adolescence. Rachael Kent, a senior lecturer at King’s College London, added that it can also be a tool for connection among friends travelling together.

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Fines proposed but existing rules already allow penalties

The Liberal Democrats have proposed fines of up to £1,000 for loud music and phone calls without headphones on public transport. The party’s transport spokesman, Olly Glover, said the trend reflects a decline in social awareness since the pandemic. He suggested tech companies should provide headphones at stations or include them with new phones.

Existing railway by-laws already allow £1,000 fines for disruptive passengers. TfL said its officers typically ask passengers to stop loudcasting, with most complying. If they refuse, officers can refer the case for prosecution. The Department for Transport told the BBC it expects rail operators to use these powers.

Tech companies contacted by the BBC, including Apple, Samsung, Meta, and TikTok, did not comment on loudcasting or any plans to address it. The government’s Bus Services Act, passed in October, also empowers local authorities to crack down on nuisance passengers, though no new measures specific to loudcasting have been introduced.

What happens next

TfL’s Travel Kind campaign will continue across London’s transport network this summer. No new enforcement measures have been announced, but the Department for Transport said it expects rail operators to use existing by-laws. The Liberal Democrats’ proposal for £1,000 fines remains a party policy, not government legislation.

Passengers who encounter loudcasting can report it to TfL staff or use the TfL website to submit a complaint. The campaign’s success will depend on public compliance, as no additional resources for enforcement have been confirmed.