STOP THE NOISE OR WE’RE GETTING OFF

2:00pm Thursday 19th October 2006

MUSIC played by passengers on buses has driven a local man to take drastic action.

Tom Wright, 31, and his girlfriend Valeria Martinelli, 38, travel by bus daily, and after one too many bad experiences they decided to take action.

They are fed up with people playing music aloud on their mobile phones when travelling, and it seems they are not alone.

The couple set up the Music Free Buses campaign, and it is quickly gathering pace.

A website has been visited by more than 300 Londoners this week, and more than 150 people have signed a petition calling on Transport for London to introduce a blanket ban of music on buses.

Mr Wright said: "It is something I hate when I'm sitting on a bus, and people think they have the right to play their own music.

"To me it is invasion of privacy and you don't have the right to play your music on public transport which is for everyone.

"I feel people should have consideration for others."

Mr Wright, of Leyton, said the people who behave in this anti-social way usually have a hostile attitude towards other passengers who are too intimidated to ask them to turn it down.

He said: "I was on the 69 bus from Stratford to Leyton and asked two girls to turn their music off. They just hurled abuse at me.

"People think they can sit there and blast music out, and when you ask them to turn it down you get the abuse, especially from teenagers.

"I am not surprised people do not say anything because if I saw a group of seven or eight people playing music, I would not go up to them. But if TFL advertised it on the bus, we could point to the sign to show them it is not permitted."

A Transport for London spokesman said: "We are sympathetic to Mr Wright's complaint - we know that it can be very irritating for other passengers when someone is listening to loud music on public transport.

"We try to encourage passengers to show consideration for others while travelling on our network."

To sign the petition log on to www.hovis21.com or write to Tfl London Buses Customer Services, 84 Eccleston Square, London SW1V 1PX.

What annoys you on buses, Tubes and trains? Call 8498 3437 or email mreynolds@london.newsquest.co.uk.