Overview

• The proposal would let transport bodies issue fixed penalty notices of up to £100 for vaping at bus stops, with unpaid cases potentially escalating to court fines of up to £1,000.
• Rules under consideration would cover both open-air and sheltered stops, extending enforcement beyond existing bans on vehicles and in stations.
• A Department for Transport spokesperson said guidance will advise fines be used only as a last resort after initial warnings are ignored.
• Transport for London has logged 204 vaping complaints since 2022, with reports rising from 26 in 2022 to 75 in 2023, and buses accounting for the majority of complaints.
• TfL does not currently issue on-the-spot fines and typically relies on staff requests or police for abusive behavior, and the move is being discussed alongside the recently enacted disposable vape sales ban and a planned generational smoking ban.