From tapping in and out to standing on the right side of the escalator, rules on the Tube are set in place to make the transport network safe for everyone.
Despite many people knowing the big ones (like the few mentioned above), there are several byelaws that mean common acts may be seen as wrong.
If these byelaws are broken, you could even receive a fine in the worst case, despite many of the byelaws being common acts.
You can see the full list of byelaws via Transport for London.
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The common acts on the London Underground that you might get fined for
Skipping the queue
In the byelaws, it states that when an “operator or an authorised person” asks you to queue, you must follow orders.
Explaining: “Any person directed by a notice to queue or asked to queue by an authorised person shall join the rear of the queue and obey the reasonable instructions of any authorised person regulating the queue.”
That means that if you are caught skipping the queue after being told to join the rear, you could end up being told off or fined for breaking a byelaw.
Being drunk
On a Friday night, the London Underground often looks like its own pub, with many people likely to have been enjoying a few drinks.
However, you might not know that by getting on the Tube under the influence, you are breaking a byelaw.
As TfL states: “No person shall enter, attempt to enter or remain on the railway if he is unfit as a result of being drunk.”
Plus, you can not bring an open container of alcohol on the Tube: “No person shall enter, attempt to enter or remain on the railway while in possession of an open container of alcohol, unless expressly permitted to do so by the Operator in a particular area.”
Singing on the Tube
One byelaw states that you must not sing, play an instrument, or use an item that makes sound on the Tube.
Sharing the reason why, TfL writes: “Except with written permission from the Operator, no person on the railway shall, to the annoyance of any person.”
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Running down the escalator
You might be in a rush, but that’s what the stairs are for.
If you are caught doing anything other than “standing or walking” on an escalator, you may get fined.
As the byelaw explains: “No person shall use any escalator on the railway except by standing or walking on it in the direction intended for travel.
“Persons shall keep to the right of escalators when not walking up, down or along them.”
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Getting on the Tube before others get off
Something which is often highlighted and debated, letting the person off the train before getting on.
If you do this, it turns out you’re breaking a byelaw: “No person shall enter through any train door until any person leaving by that door has passed through it.”
