SARWAR DEMANDS ACTION TO END SCANDAL OF BUS VIOLENCE
By Democrat reporter
Scottish Labour has called for those being violent on buses to be stripped of their bus passes.
In a Scottish Parliament debate on Wednesday (TOMORROW), Scottish Labour will move a motion calling for the Scottish Government to remove access to concessionary bus passes from individuals who repeatedly carry out antisocial behaviour.
This intervention follows the tragic death of Keith Rollinson, a bus driver in Elgin and numerous reports of voolent incidents on public transport across the country.
Commenting ahead of the debate, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, right, said: “No bus driver or member of the public should be harassed or injured without those responsible bearing the consequences.
“With unions and workers raising the alarm and an 84 percent increase in reports of verbal or physical abuse over the past year, the need for action cannot be clearer.
“Most shockingly of all – Keith Rollinson, a 58 year old bus driver from Elgin – was killed at work by a 15-year old passenger.
“Enough is enough – it’s time that the Scottish government woke up to the scale of the violence and intimidation that bus drivers face.
“That’s why Scottish Labour is holding a debate in parliament about the safety of bus drivers and is saying that under 22s that are found to have repeatedly acted violently on buses have their free bus passes revoked.
“Scottish Labour supports the concessionary scheme for under 22 bus travel but we will not see this scheme abused by those who pose a risk to workers.
“Without taking action now, we risk signalling that bus drivers are fair game for abuse.
“It’s time to end this scandal, punish those who abuse bus drivers and keep workers safe.”
After the Scottish Parliament backed Scottish Labour’s motion calling for people being persistently violent or antisocial on buses to lose their free bus pass, Scottish Labour Transport spokesperson Claire Baker, left, said: “Violence and antisocial behaviour have no place on public transport and I welcome the Scottish Parliament’s backing on this important issue.
“No-one should face assault, threats of abuse in the workplace but for too many bus drivers that is the reality they face.
“This motion must result in immediate action from the SNP government to address this issue.
“There can be no more dither and delay now that Parliament has spoken – the SNP must bring forward plans to remove free bus travel from anyone repeatedly using their pass to be violent or intimidating.”