A public transport user wearing headphones. Credits: FACUA
Portugal wants to put an end to mobile phone noise on public transport, and from now on it will fine passengers who are causing noise that may disturb other passengers.
Portugal’s Transport and Mobility Authority (AMT) has launched a campaign to monitor and control the inappropriate use of mobile phone volume on public transport.
Users who are making excessive mobile phone noise will be fined between 50 and 250 euros, as this will be considered an offence of lack of civility. Alongside sanctions, the Portuguese authorities intend to launch awareness campaigns “for an appropriate and civic use of mobile phones”.
Among other measures, it recommends transport operators to carry out passenger satisfaction surveys including questions related to this problem, to reinforce the current warnings, or to implement the so-called ‘silent wagons’, already active in Spain or France.
These infringements are independent of the source of the sound, according to Portuguese authorities. It does not necessarily have to be music or videos, but users who are making calls or video calls and can hear their interlocutor on the other end of the phone will also be taken into account.
Spanish law does not impose fines or punishment when users are being loud, instead, there are signs recommending the use of headphones so as not to disturb other passengers. However, here it is simply a recommendation and not an obligation.
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