For some, it's the everyday annoyance of sharing a bus with teenagers. For others, it's a sign of modern youth running wild. Either way, antisocial behaviour on public transport is a hot topic - and with free bus travel for kids aged 5 to 15 across England introduced in August, things have come to a head in Staffordshire.

On Friday, First Bus decided that enough was enough and banned all passengers aged 15 and under from travelling without an adult after 6pm in Stoke-on-Trent, until further notice. The company cited multiple incidents of antisocial behaviour since the government's 'cost of living-busting' free travel scheme launched on 1 August, including one involving over 100 young people acting 'intimidating and aggressive' at Hanley bus station. Police were called, obviously.

Simon Mathieson, regional director at First Bus, told BBC Radio Stoke: 'Lots of my drivers, who want to do a good job, [were] feeling very unsafe; lots of passengers, trying to get home, [were] feeling very unsafe.' He noted the scheme had seen a large uptake, calling it 'brilliant' - but then mentioned one driver reporting kids swinging on strap handles and running up and down the bus while it was moving. 'That's not really helping people feel like they can travel in safety and comfort,' he said, adding the decision was made to protect staff and other customers.

This isn't the first time youth behaviour on transport has made headlines. Last year, the Liberal Democrats called for fines up to £1,000 for 'headphone dodgers' who play loud music on buses and trains. Scotland is planning legislation to enforce a code of conduct for its free bus scheme, which covers ages 5 to 21, with the threat of losing travel rights for non-compliance.

But some argue existing measures are already disproportionate. A passenger at Waterloo was fined £500 for putting a coffee cup in a rubbish bag next to a full bin, watched by an enforcement officer. An 86-year-old in Skegness got a £250 fine for spitting out a leaf that blew into his mouth. Clearly, the system is fair and balanced.

Cllr Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for transport at Stoke-on-Trent council, said it was 'disappointing' that First Bus banned unaccompanied under-16s. 'Sadly, the children paying the price are overwhelmingly the ones who did nothing wrong.' He questioned why more transport safety officers couldn't have been deployed instead, calling it 'a real shame' and 'certainly not the option I would have liked to see.'

He welcomed the free travel scheme but admitted it 'presented an opportunity for some kids to travel across the city and cause trouble.' However, he stressed the scheme didn't create the behaviour - it just moved it. 'What the free travel did, possibly, was move it from the estates where it's dispersed and largely unreported to the bus station where it's concentrated, visible, and lands in an incident log.' He suggested more police at the bus station might have been a better solution, allowing kids to enjoy their unlimited free travel during the summer holidays.

First Bus declined to be interviewed but confirmed the decision had approval from the Department for Transport (DfT) and the council's full support. Drivers can still use discretion to give free rides to vulnerable or at-risk children.

A government spokesperson defended the scheme: 'Our Great British Summer Savings scheme allows kids under 15 to travel for free on participating services, to give families room to breathe and enjoy days out throughout August. The scheme rightly offers all local operators flexibilities to deal with issues like anti-social behaviour, such as the right to refuse travel or localised time restrictions.'