Boris the Buffoon's Booze ban
Pointless alcohol ban hits London Transport
(Photos © urban75, Sunday 1st June 2008)

So the clueless buffoon got in and immediately banned one of life's harmless little pleasures with a piece of spectacularly ill-thought out, knee jerk legislation.

This ridiculous law not only infringes on people's right to peacefully enjoy a drink on the tube - perhaps after work or on their way out for a night - but it will be expensive to enforce and achieve precisely nothing.



Drunken behaviour on tubes has got precious little to do with people actually drinking on the tube train - the problems are almost always caused by people who are already drunk. Therefore this law will make zero difference and trying to enforce it will just cause friction with passengers and cause problems for LT staff.

There are already laws in place to punish anti social behaviour on London's public transport, and we welcome further investment to protect the travelling public, but the time, money and resources needed to enforce Johnson's plans could be far better employed elsewhere.



Naturally, the right wing press were quick to congratulate Boris on this petty, pointless law. Several writers commented that the ban would help get rid of the dreadful mess left behind on tube trains by drinkers.



Funnily enough, they didn't comment on the bigger mess left on tube trains every working day of the week, courtesy of their own free newspapers.





REACTION, PROTEST AND DISCUSSION

Bob Crow, general secretary of the RMT "We are concerned that London Underground does not intend to put on any extra staff on Saturday night as it will be our members who will be in the front line and at risk from aggressive drunken behaviour," he said.

RMT will support any measure that will make our members' working lives safer and more pleasant, but the ban has been poorly thought through, is being implemented in haste and could put our members in greater danger."

THE LAST DAY
Londoners reacted with a huge Circle Line party on the eve of law being introduced. The event was hyped to the heavens and back and, not suprisingly, the tabloids managed to mine a few outraged comments.

Spacehijackers party:




DISCUSS THE ISSUES HERE
Boris's ban on alcohol on London Transport (with poll)
Last Circle Line Party - MAY 31ST
Tube Party on June 1st? Drinking ban applies to the bus and DRL as well as the tube


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