BUS users in Edinburgh could be kicked off for playing loud music or making speakerphone calls after the city’s principal bus operator changed its rules.
Lothian Buses has amended its Conditions of Carriage to strictly prohibit “excessive noise” or playing audio at a volume which can be heard by others.
Property damage has also been explicitly defined and banned under the new rules.
This comes amid mounting complaints about anti-social behaviour on the city’s bus network, with more than 1,000 incidents recorded halfway through 2026.
Figures obtained by Conservative MSP Miles Briggs via a Freedom of Information request show that the 1,111 anti-social behaviour incidents led to 443 maintenance requests – 412 for broken or vandalised seats and 31 for broken windows.
The figure confirms a trend of skyrocketing levels of anti-social behaviour in the capital, with a 5% year-on-year increase also recorded in 2025 compared to 2024.
Lothian Buses now appears to be taking a stricter approach to anti-social behaviour as a result.
In its updated Conditions of Carriage, it has explicitly defined “damaging company property” and “abusive behaviour towards a company official” as ejection-worthy sins.
“Excessive noise including playing any form of audio at a volume that can be heard by other passengers and which may cause a disturbance” has also been prohibited.
Anybody who breaks the bus operator’s Conditions of Carriage must leave their name and address with the driver when requested and may be escorted off the bus by a company official, police officer, or Special Constable.
This update also includes a firm policy regarding the misuse of concession cards.
Fraudulent presentation of any Scottish National Entitlement Card will now result in immediate travel refusal, and the card will be physically confiscated.
Chris Day, Secretary of the Edinburgh Bus Users Group said: “It’s regrettable that any bus operator has to tighten its rules on anti-social behaviour.
“Clearly there’s a small minority that ignores some basic norms of behaviour, though our experience is that the overwhelming majority of bus journeys are untroubled.
“It remains to be seen how much this affects the worst examples, but we hope the new rules help.”
Last year, the Scottish Government laid out plans to tackle anti-social behaviour on buses, with a new commitment to revoke the free bus passes of those found to be flouting the rules.
This came alongside plans for Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government to develop a “code of conduct” which will govern the rules of conduct on buses.
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