On the Buses with Reg Vardy was an extremely popular television comedy series for those who appreciate that kind of thing.
Today though bus travel is no laughing matter. The the debate on anti-social behaviour on buses and trains, including travel between Dumbarton and Balloch on Friday nights, has reached new heights and it pulled in at a new destination this week – the Scottish Parliament.
The MSPs have been discussing public transport in general and we all have to use it from time, especially now that those of us whose cars don’t meet the climate change rules to travel into the city.
Who would want to get a bus – or a train for that matter – if they needed to know they would be absolutely safe on their journey?
MSPs have cottoned on that there is an anti-social behaviour problem on public transport, and that something needs to be done about it soon.
They have passed the first stop on this journey by noting with concern reports of antisocial behaviour on buses from companies and from those people using buses.
And at last acknowledged that people travelling using the national Young Persons’ (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel scheme have been responsible for incidents that have led to buses being withdrawn, or diverted.
Protesters have called for the perpetrators to have their entitlement to free travel under the scheme removed.
Conservative MSP Graham Simpson was at the front of the queue when he told the Holyrood chamber that they were having this debate on the day that the Government has issued its evaluation report into the first year of free bus travel for under-22s.
He added: “Unfortunately, the end of that year was nearly a year ago, so the report is somewhat out of date. However, we should be clear that the scheme has been a success. More than 100 million journeys have been taken using it.
“Parliament was and is united over the scheme. It is a good thing to encourage young people to use public transport. It is a good thing to help them get to school, college, university and work. If nothing else, it gets them into the habit of using a bus. We hope that they continue to do so once they have to pay.
“The Conservatives’ view is that, when they have to pay, fares should be cheaper, with a cap on how much people pay, and that payment should be simpler.
“Although the free bus travel scheme for under-22s has been a success overall, there have been issues with a minority—I emphasise that it is a minority—of the young people who use it. You would expect that. Not everyone knows how to behave, and today’s report recognises that.
“There was evidence that 90 per cent of respondents who experienced antisocial behaviour experienced excessive loud shouting and/or swearing, and that 67 per cent of respondents who experienced antisocial behaviour experienced people under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
“Bus operators have reported issues that include physical and verbal assaults on drivers, physical and verbal assaults and threatening behaviour towards other passengers, broken windows, emergency doors being opened and damaged and vandalised buses.
“Damage and vandalism result in increased costs to operators, with vehicles being taken off the road for repairs. Passengers and potential passengers may be deterred from travelling by bus and, at a time when driver recruitment remains a key industry challenge, it could contribute to people leaving the industry or not joining it at all.
“In addition to incidents on board buses, there is a perception that the scheme may have also contributed to increased antisocial behaviour in and around bus stations or in other locations such as shopping centres. The Scottish Government’s “Behaviour in Scottish schools: research report 2023” states:
“The ability of young people to travel for free on buses had, in some cases, led to young people travelling to other areas of the city to take part in fights or meeting up on buses and engaging in anti-social behaviour. LA representatives also raised safeguarding concerns that young people may be travelling far from their homes to meet with people without their parents’ knowledge.”
It’s happening all over the place. Business owners, retail staff, shoppers and residents in towns across the country have experienced vandalism, theft, intimidation and physical and verbal abuse.
As in West Dunbartonshire, it has been a particular problem on Friday afternoons, when schools have finished early.
One shopping centre reported that youths travelling in from outside their location had caused mayhem.
Graham Simpson said: “The shopping centre suffered £80,000 of damage in 18 months. I have seen a shocking video of an horrific attack on a bus passenger in Prestwick, in which he was dragged off the bus and kicked and punched to the ground.”
He added: “Despite promises, however, the SNP government has done nothing about the problem … and that can have serious consequences for communities.
“We have seen bus companies, quite understandably, removing services altogether. The Government’s argument is that it is too difficult to remove the free travel element from the national entitlement card.
“However, under the National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Young Persons (Scotland) Order 2021, ministers can … withdraw or suspend a travel card … if a holder allows someone else to use it or … in such other circumstances as they may determine.
“I would have thought that committing antisocial behaviour while on a bus or after having used a bus could fall into that category. Abuse it and you should lose it. The minister [Fiona Hyslop] should not rule out taking action.
“That does not have to mean a permanent ban. She could consider suspension—members should remember that that is in the order—or perhaps a curfew.
“Some bus companies and drivers have simply given up on recording data. There has been a significant increase in antisocial behaviour since the introduction of the scheme. It is at record levels throughout the country. Operators have reported staff being assaulted, drivers being spat on, physical assaults and racial harassment.
“Bus companies, their staff and passengers should not have to tolerate that. If the culprits hold a free travel card, they are abusing a privilege that is paid for by the taxpayer, and that should not continue.”
SNP members also expressed concern about what’s happening on the buses. Ben Macpherson said: “The issue is a very serious one that we should be discussing together with antisocial behaviour in our schools.”
He added: “I have seen antisocial behaviour on our buses and trains, including lots of noise; feet on seats; people eating food that has odours that are not pleasant to be around; people leaving litter; people listening to music or watching television on their mobile devices without headphones; people under the influence and behaving in a way that is not respectful to those around them; and intimidation of others.
“Over that time, I have seen such behaviour from a lot of people over the age of 22. I make that point because, without discounting the concerns that we have collectively in our constituencies and regions about antisocial behaviour by a minority of young people, I think that, in our country, particularly post-pandemic, there is a wider consideration that we need to think about together.
“We need to think carefully about solutions and behaviour change with regard to antisocial behaviour more generally. Examples that involve a minority of young people on our public transport who on occasion engage in antisocial behaviour are reported, but we collectively, as a Parliament, need to focus on antisocial behaviour more widely, the concerning increase in that behaviour, and what solutions might make a difference.
“If we are going to consider the potential removal or temporary suspension of entitlement to travel cards for young people, it would be right to do so only if that also applied to people of other ages who use our public transport and have entitlement. We cannot single out young people. Although we might want to think about those solutions and keep them under review, there are wider and deeper questions that we need to ask ourselves about support for our young people, ensuring that there is adequate youth work provision, helping our young people to engage in better behaviour, and how we engage role models and popular culture to help us to encourage young people to do what the majority of young people do, which is contribute positively to society and be respectful of those around them.”
He added: “This is an important debate, but let us not single out our young people. Let us keep the matter under review and think carefully about how we can make a positive difference, and let us remember the good behaviour of the majority of young people.”