Meeting of the Parliament 27 November 2024
I associate myself with Claire Baker’s comments about the tragic death of Keith Rollinson. That was devastating, and our thoughts go out to his loved ones, friends and colleagues.
Bus services, when run well and in the public interest, have the power to unite our communities. They provide a social service for the vulnerable, a way for young people to get on in their lives and a great way to cut congestion and get the economy moving. However, valuing bus services means valuing the workers who run them. The crisis in bus driver recruitment has worsened the cycle of decline. In some cases, bus companies have blamed cancelled services and the withdrawal of whole routes on driver shortages.
We have to break that cycle of decline, and that starts by respecting and investing in the workforce. Competitive pay and improved terms and conditions are important, but it is clear that the working environment and the continued rise in antisocial behaviour also need to be tackled head on. Like Claire Baker, I commend the work of Unite the union and the survey of its bus driver members, which has helped us to understand the problems of abuse that they face day in, day out, particularly from the often unheard voices of women. The figures in the survey are shocking, with 84 per cent having experienced abuse over the past year and 85 per cent feeling that abuse is just part of the job.
Everybody has a right to feel safe at work. It is unacceptable that such abuse is taking place. Unite’s 15-point route map to safer buses, which was launched in February, provides a great starting point to address the problem. I hope that the Scottish Government can continue to use its convening power to make progress on all the recommendations, including consideration of whether the law at present is fit to protect all transport workers.
We should not lose sight of the fact that hundreds of millions of pounds are paid to mostly private bus operators every single year to deliver concessionary travel schemes. Payments to those companies must come with a responsibility on the companies to deliver a safe environment for drivers and passengers. Again, Unite’s route map spells out the changes that bus operators need to make, from having CCTV cameras on board to having well-maintained protective barriers and lockable cabs.