Why the ban on alcohol on the Tube and Buses is pointless

So, Boris has - to his credit - made good on one of his manifest pledges, namely to bring about a ban on the consumption of alcohol or carrying of open containers on buses and the tube.

He did promise that he'd do this on the train - however, this requires an amendment to the Railways Act, so don't expect anything too soon.

It's very easy to see why people might think this a positive step; however, as with many of the other successful laws in this country that people obey (such as, er, drug, the carrying of knives...er...it being an offence to rob people for their iPods), the law is pointless unless someone if enforcing it.

The staff of the Tube won't bother to challenge people; and I can't say that I blame them. The policing of the Underground is the responsibility of the British Transport Police and unless you happen to live or work in very central London, you're more likely to come across the Queen Mother playing the banjo than you are that lot. And it won't stop people from getting onto the Tube drunk in the first place. If people are going to drink, people are doing to drink. Instead of dealing more effectively with the criminal element, we instead tar everyone with the same brush and treat everyone like a child.

As for the buses - well, it depends on who you believe. The London Assembly suggested that bus crime was up in 2007, with youth offences up by over 55%. Trasnport for London think otherwise. But since, they're both reaching conclusions based on the same report, you have to wonder who is correct.

Points for headlines - 7/10
Points for there being a point - 2/10