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Boris unveils alcohol ban plan

8:37am Wednesday 7th May 2008

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Boris Johnson is expected to reveal his plans to ban alcohol on London's transport network.

The new mayor, who took over the role from Ken Livingstone after beating him in last Thursday's election, will work with London's transport commissioner Peter Hendy to set out a timeline to implement the policy. Posters will be unveiled to inform commuters about the new measure.

The ban of drinking alcohol on the capital's transport system, which includes the Tube, trains, buses and Docklands Light Railway (DLR), was one of Mr Johnson's key election pledges.

It is part of his wider strategy to curb antisocial behaviour in London.

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Your Say YourSurrey Comet

C, SW London says...
9:12am Wed 7 May 08

Not a bad idea that!

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Angie P, Wimbledon says...
10:06am Wed 7 May 08

Ah, but won't we all miss the sight of those scrawny drunkards staggering through the trams holding a can of Special Brew?

Actually yes, that's not a bad idea at all...

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james, sutton says...
10:33am Wed 7 May 08

Excellent, a few times my family have been on trains with guys with open bottles cursing and causing passengers to be tense, we don't deserve to have to pay a load of money and sit in fear on public transport. Idiots who want to get smashed can do that somewhere else other than on public transport. This shows that Boris isn't the "buffoon" some say he is. This is totally for the good of ALL Londoners and that's what the mayor is suppose to do. Well done Boris!

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Mr J Jones, Carshalton says...
11:00am Wed 7 May 08

It's a good idea, I hope he also bans people from eating hot food. Particularly rank old fried chicken.

But how will the booze issue work? On the odd occasion when I've seen some drunkard stagger onto the train, they're already smashed? The only difference would be that they're drunk, but not carrying any booze on them?

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Justin, Croydon says...
11:53am Wed 7 May 08

Good idea, but who will enforce it, the driver who lets eighteen year olds on his/her bus without showing a ticket or oyster card because they dont want the abuse or the pcsos who stand at east croydon watching people cycle pass on the pavement or there ignoring the people smoking on the no smoking tram stops, just another unworkable byelaw that no one will and want to enforce.

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anon, here says...
11:55am Wed 7 May 08

i disagree i think alcohol should be widely distributed about the public as small amounts can make people merry and just face it the sight of public transport makes everything seem loomy they should have vendors on trains and buses that sell alcohol not ban it

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Ricky, Sheen says...
11:57am Wed 7 May 08

Also ban anyone who is too drunk to travel in the first place.

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SV, Croydon says...
1:03pm Wed 7 May 08

Im surprised its not already the law. How odd. In any case, not much chance of it being implemented - just look at how badly the police behave in Croydon when they just walk by street drinkers or pot smokers!

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LOOPY LOO, EVERYWHERE says...
1:26pm Wed 7 May 08

Is this why Boris Haystack is scratching his head??

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Albert Hall, Caterham says...
2:13pm Wed 7 May 08

A good idea but old bill won't be bothered to enforce it. Too much like hard work! Now if it was a speeding offence that would be different.

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C, SW London says...
2:58pm Wed 7 May 08

I understand where you are coming from Abert Hall... Perhaps people caught on public transport will be fined..!

Food for thought!

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Mr Cheese, South Croydon says...
4:22pm Wed 7 May 08

The ban won't apply to overground trains initially as TfL have no power to enforce that. Indeed the train operating companies probably make a reasonable profit from selling alcohol on their stations and trains, presumably expecting people to drink it on the train.

The only time this ban is likely to be enforced is against otherwise well-behaved people who won't get aggressive when confronted. As usual, the persistent offenders won't be punished because there won't be anyone willing to enforce it against them due to the risk of violence.

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rodent boy, St ebbas says...
9:53pm Wed 7 May 08

I agree with mr Anon who sugests distributing alcohol free of charge to the general public. I would however go one step further and make drunkardness compulsory for those wishing to travel on public transport. A loose joint vendor would also be a welcome addition to the night bus services if I might be so bold as to suggest it.

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JH, London says...
7:18am Thu 8 May 08

Here are six reasons why this is a terrible policy:

1. For a party that has been trying to project themselves as more 'human', more 'caring', more 'soft', it's an incredibly authoritarian, liberty-infringing thing to do.

2. For a party whose greatest recent electoral successes have often been linked to libertarianism/reduc
ing the 'nanny state' and reducing interference in citizen's lives, it's also a strange thing to do.

3. The people who are drunk on tubes are, in 99% of cases, on their way back from pubs. They are not actually drinking on the tube. Is there any evidence that links physical consumption of a can of beer on a train to anti-social behaviour? If there is, I suspect Johnson won't be aware of it- I doubt he's even been on the tube except for election photocalls in the last 10 years.

4. Much anti-social behaviour on buses appears to be from school-age children rather than anyone else, and is linked more with aggressive behaviour than alcohol.

5. Who is going to enforce this ridiculous policy? The Tories are forever going on about how the police are overstretched already, so it seems odd that they are adding to their workload. Plus, when was the last time you got on a tube carriage and saw a police/transport official? Also, what if I just mix some vodka into a Coke bottle? Are they actually going to taste what I'm drinking?

6. It sends a very confusing message when you get off a tube at Euston fresh from a drinking ban and then you get on a train to Manchester and one of the first things you hear is an announcement from the buffet carriage encouraging you to purchase and consume alcohol on the train!

I look forward to the next nonsense coming our way from Johnson. At this rate, Gordon Brown might actually have a chance of winning the next election as Johnson slowly torpedoes David Cameron's vision of a modern, 'in touch' Tory party.

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Mike Melbourne, Ex Croydon says...
1:05pm Thu 8 May 08

Boris knows all about alcohol.

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Matt, Richmond says...
1:42pm Thu 8 May 08

1. I don't think they intended on extending their caring and soft side to yobs, we have Labour for that.

2. That is correct, for far too long have the ways of the mischief makers been hindered. Interference is exactly what I want from Boris (no funnies please), interference in the lives of all the trouble makers. The fact that our current government has meddled so intrusively in all of our lives only increases my appetite to have some meddling done to the appropriate segments of our wonderful society. I am, of course, opposed to government interference where it is not warranted, but having suffered these intrusions the last few years I think it would be a mistake to make a knee-jerk reaction to measures that will not affect us without good reason, like boozing openly on the bus for instance.

3. I'm sure many a reader has utilised public transport after having consumed one too many, however, I should hope that none continued to consume alcohol once on board. Do you not think it more likely that someone who is of the mindset to drink openly on public transport is also more likely to cause trouble?

4. So because there are more aggressive youngsters than abusive drunks, we should leave the drunks alone, right? It's hardly a one or the other situation.

5. The police may well be overstretched, but I think this is more because of the current policies they are all but forced to follow, rather than an extreme shortage of manpower. Hopefully there will be a shift in this trend under the new mayor, and I for one see this alcohol ban as a step towards where I want to see policing in the capital. If you wish to have a sly drinky on the tube then go ahead, so long as you're not flashing your beverages at me I'll be happy. If you were to cause a scene I'd expect the police to use a test strip to determine whether or not you were in breach of the ban.

6. Comparing the sale of alcohol on a long distance train journey to the management of antisocial behaviour on the regional transport infrastructure is a comment designed solely to get me banned from here for life.

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ibby, London says...
7:11pm Thu 8 May 08

I have great faith in Boris Johnson as he has a great deal to prove not only to Londoners, but to the whole country if his party is to get voted in at the next election. He knows who voted him in, and it certainly was not the scumbags and their families who blight our everyday lives. Lets hope he gets rid of the red tape that takes up so much of the Police's time, and therefore enables them to get on with the job in hand. I hope he spreads this ban to our borough streets and green pleasure spaces as well including banning the toe-rags with their dangerous dogs. Good Luck Boris.

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Dan, sutton says...
10:04am Fri 9 May 08

Yes, lets ban everything, lets ban dogs, drinking, smoking and all the other things that yobs do, just because yobs do it. Sorry but i actually enjoy my freedom and it is very sad that a few unruly individuals who have no respect for the law should ruin it for the rest of us. The nanny state is here, if you let it.

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Horst Bullinger, Wimbledon says...
8:28am Mon 12 May 08

The Mayor's plan can only be successfully enforced, if it is embedded in a total eating and drinking ban, which is quite common on many urban public transport sytems around the world. A hefty fine for littering should be introduced at the same time. To hell with peoples 'liberty' to make the life of their fellow citizens a misery.

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ANNE GILES, selsdon says...
5:04pm Sat 17 May 08

So you would then ban all the drinks and snacks trolleys? People travel long distances to get to work and often have no time to sit and have breakfast or lunch. Therefore, the only place to eat and drink is the train. Ban alcohol, yes - but not anything else!!

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Looking for answers? Boris Johnson Conservative mayor Boris Johnson wants to tackle antisocial behaviour by getting rid of alcohol on London's transport

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