UK considers alcohol ban on public transport

LONDON - A ban on passengers drinking alcohol on public transport including trains and buses is being considered by the government, minister John Reid said yesterday.

Two Sunday newspapers said the plan was one of 40 proposals being looked at as part of a crackdown on binge drinking.

"It is a proposal for discussion," the defence minister told BBC television.

"It is right that people should be able to have a civilised drink at whatever time they want, but it is right also that people should be responsible about not being abusive on buses and other places."

Violent crime fuelled by alcohol increased on the rail network last year, according to British Transport Police.

The Sunday Times and The Sunday Telegraph said the proposals followed a meeting held last month which was chaired by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The opposition Conservative party said the country's problem with binge drinking, which has made many city centres almost off limits on weekend evenings, stemmed from people drinking too much in pubs and clubs.

To combat the problem, the government has introduced new laws which will allow pubs to stay open for longer from November.

The government says the existing system, under which drinkers spill out onto the street at the same time when the pubs close, fuels drunken fights and vandalism.

But senior police officers and judges have warned that later hours will only exacerbate binge drinking and anti-social behaviour.

Theresa May, shadow secretary for the family and culture, said the plan to ban alcohol on public transport showed the government was in "complete disarray".

"It's hypocrisy to talk about these kinds of bans when at the same time introducing an unpopular and dangerous plan for extended drinking," she said in a statement.

"Alcohol-fuelled violence is a major problem but is more often caused by people drunk and on their way home from pubs and clubs."

- REUTERS