Call for Summit on Tackling Antisocial Behaviour on Buses

I have written to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop MSP, to ask her to work collaboratively to find a solution to the antisocial behaviour that is plaguing Scotland’s bus services.

I have asked the Transport Secretary to arrange a summit that brings together the key stakeholders – trade unions, bus operators, the Scottish Government, Police Scotland, local authorities, among others – to begin the necessary work of devising and delivering a plan of action to tackle antisocial behaviour for good in a letter sent this week.

I have been contacted by many constituents who are bus drivers and suffering from stress due to the extent of antisocial behaviour they are having to deal with in their working lives, with some talking of leaving the profession altogether over the failure to tackle the problem at a national level.

I also met with representatives from Unite the Union, who are the trade union representing the majority of bus drivers who are in a union, to hear more on the damage antisocial behaviour is having on bus drivers’ workplaces, the ability to retain bus drivers and the travelling public’s experience of using bus services.

Having met with the Transport Secretary regularly in my role as Scottish Labour’s Transport spokesperson, I believe we are both equally concerned about the issues being raised by bus drivers around antisocial behaviour on Scotland’s bus services.

Antisocial behaviour on buses must be tackled as a matter of urgency – it has a devastating impact on bus drivers and the travelling public and we need only look at the tragic death of Keith Rollinson in Elgin to understand the seriousness of this problem.

I have heard from constituents in Fife who are bus drivers about their terrible experiences of dealing with antisocial behaviour and the impact this is having on them, not only in their workplace but on their lives outside of work with the stress that comes with having to deal with this.

I think if we are to tackle this for good, we need a summit of the key stakeholders, such as trade unions, bus operators, the Scottish Government, Police Scotland, local authorities, among others, to agree a multidisciplinary approach to dealing with antisocial behaviour.

There are many great ideas and suggestions on how we can do this but the crucial thing is that this must be a joined-up approach with the resources and support available where needed and communication between all stakeholders so this is being taken on by a united sector.

That is why I have requested that the Transport Secretary arrange a summit to discuss this further and I hope she is willing to work with me collaboratively to find a solution to this problem once and for all.