THOUSANDS of commuters are joining a campaign calling for a clampdown on music on buses. The attempt to stop mobile phones and MP3 players blasting out music and intimidating passengers was discussed at mayor's questions on Wednesday.

Two commuters, Tom Wright, 31, and Valeria Martinelli, 38, started the campaign in September after suffering dozens of noisy journeys.

They want a ban on the use of mobile phones and MP3 players without headphones.

Tom said: "We used to catch buses at the time of the school run from Merton to Tooting.

"My girlfriend used to take her daughter on the 270 bus and it was so noisy she used to sit downstairs.

"I make the same journey myself several times a week and to be honest I actually walk it if I can."

They were finally spurred into action after being threatened by a pair of teenagers they asked to turn their music down.

Tom said: "It was actually in east London and we ended up in a slanging match with two teenage girls.

"They were thrown off the bus but ended up following us home through the back streets.

"Other people have told us they have been threatened and assaulted by people after approaching them to turn their music down."

We spoke to passengers on the 35 bus route from Clapham to London Bridge.

Jenny Rogers, 42, said loud music was annoying but she didn't feel threatened by it.

She said: "To be honest the worst thing is when you're going home after work and looking forward to a bit of piece and quiet and you get on the bus to find music blaring.I like to read on my bus journey and it can make it really hard to concentrate."

Transport for London (TfL) has said it will back the campaign and put posters up at bus stops warning people not to play music without headphones.

But Tom and Valeria want posters on the buses themselves, a view supported by Labour assembly member Joanne McCartney.

She said: "Constituents have said to me they would like posters on buses so if they confronted someone they could point to the posters to back them up."

Speaking at the London Assembly Mayor Ken Livingstone said he would discuss the idea with officers at TfL.