McGill's Buses calls for 'sin bin' powers to manage antisocial youths
Ralph Roberts says bus routes could be at risk because of unpredictable attacks on services across the country
Last updated 9th Nov 2023
MFR is hearing the future of bus routes across Scotland will be at risk if operators are not given the power to stop antisocial youths from using free travel entitlement.
The CEO of McGill's Buses is warning that attacks on buses are getting out of hand, and that the abuse shows no signs of letting up.
Ralph Roberts exclusively told MFR he is urging Transport Scotland to give operators the tools to temporarily revoke the free travel entitlement of repeat offenders who scan on using their U22 card.
He claims he is extremely concerned for the future of routes in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Kilmarnock, Dundee and Aberdeen in what he says are "unpredictable and uncontrollable" attacks.
He recounted incidents when bricks were thrown at buses, seats slashed and set on fire, and abuse directed at both passengers and staff.
Bus routes have already been pulled in parts of Glasgow after a string of attacks to a night service.
Mr Roberts says he wants the ability to "sin bin" abusive users of the Scottish Government free entitlement scheme, the same way as he can with commercial card holders.
However, Transport Scotland says the temporary banning of cards is not something that can be facilitated, as the cards are multifunctional and hold other uses.
'We need to find a way of managing this'
Mr Roberts said: "There's an attitude here that needs to change surrounding attacks on buses, it really is a criminal attack.
"If that brick hit the driver on the head and he lost control of the bus, that would be a very serious incident and it's extremely worrying.
"You might have heard of the antics at Kilmarnock bus station earlier this year, buses set on fire in Glasgow, the situation in Edinburgh, there's a lot in Dundee and Aberdeen... it happens all over and we're at a loss.
"We replace something in the region of 300 head rest covers a month because people are slashing them, and its so worrying that people are carrying knives or box cutters on buses.
"It's very difficult to predict and the only option you've got is to remove yourself from that area which then punishes the people who need to get that bus.
"We recently had to pull a service in the Auchenback area of Barrhead where a lot of people rely on the bus.
"We're losing footfall because of it, which means that if it gets to a certain scale routes could be at risk, which means that more people lose out, and on it goes.
"We need to find a way of managing this, Transport Scotland need to find a way in other words."
While Mr Roberts attributes the rise of antisocial behaviour in part to the introduction of the free travel scheme, he maintains that it is a good thing for both young adults and the bus company, but that there is a small minority causing problems.
Temporary 'sin bin'
East Lothian Alba MP Kenny MacAskill has joined operators in their calls to temporarily "sin bin" antisocial youths.
He told MFR that he has written to the Scottish Government's transport minister to see what more can be done.
He said: "I think what we have to do is see some free bus passes taken off some youngsters who are abusing it to travel around the city or county causing disorder - I've certainly had it in East Lothian.
"I've heard drivers say that some routes are becoming a 'gang hut' as youngsters have abused the bus pass they've been given and terrorising people on board.
"It doesn't have to be in perpetuity, it could be a week or a fortnight, but I think the technology needs to be changed on the concessionary bus pass so that other passengers and drivers aren't subjected to abuse."
Transport Scotland response
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “Antisocial behaviour is unacceptable on Scotland's public transport and in wider society.
"Tackling allegations of this type of behaviour is a matter for the police and local authorities using the enforcement activities available to them. We are continuing to work with these partners to strengthen options to tackle antisocial behaviour.
“The legislation underpinning The National Concessionary Travel Scheme for Young People does not make provision for the blocking of cards on this basis.
"However, access to the concessionary travel schemes does not affect bus operators conditions of carriage which allow bus drivers and bus operators to refuse to carry, or remove, a person who is causing disruption to staff and passengers.”