Playing loud music on the bus? That will cost you hundreds of dollars in Singapore

Bus passengers in Singapore can now be fined up to $500 Singapore dollars ($391; £293) for placing their feet on seats or playing loud audio, as well as eating, drinking or littering onboard.

A fine of up to $5,000 will be imposed for more serious offences, such as causing obstruction or danger to fellow commuters within bus terminals or "the soiling of any part of a public bus, bus interchange, or terminal".

"These will foster a safer, more considerate and pleasant public transport environment for all," the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a news release.

The new regulations, announced on Monday, align with existing rules on Singapore's railway, or Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), network.

But while there have long been punishments for MRT passengers caught eating onboard, for example, rules on buses were typically company policies enforced by drivers, who could ask commuters to alight.

Now these nuisance behaviours have become official legal offences carrying immediate fines.

Authorised bus staff – such as ticket inspectors and bus interchange staff – can issue official notices to passengers who are suspected of committing an offence, according to LTA.

Bus drivers - or "captains", as they are called in Singapore - will not be given the same authority, leaving them to prioritise their duty of safely operating the bus. They can, however, tell commuters to stop disruptive behaviour, and those who refuse to cooperate may be asked to alight the bus or, in severe cases, face police intervention.