Meeting of the Parliament 27 November 2024
Yes, I certainly do. The last line of our motion does not make a distinction in relation to the age of the person who would be sanctioned for their behaviour on buses. The reasons why I cannot support the Green amendment is that it would remove the reference in the motion to increased incidence and would take out the option of removing bus passes.
Those actions are what we call on the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland to do today, and they must deliver a sanction scheme swiftly. I believe that they have the power to do so through the National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Young Persons (Scotland) Order 2021 and that travel can be isolated from the card’s other uses.
In addition to that sanction, which would make clear that there are consequences for those who abuse the benefits of the concessionary bus pass scheme, we must see progress on other measures to tackle antisocial behaviour on and around public transport. Unite the union has issued a road map to safety, with 15 practical steps for operators to take. There are highly regarded operators and, quite frankly, there are those that need to take seriously their duty of care to their workers. We need to see wider use of driver protection screens, closed-circuit television, robust staff training, panic buttons and mechanisms to alert and engage the police. We need to ensure that local authorities and the police are resourced to increase the presence of community wardens and officers at hot spots for disruptive behaviour.
Unite also calls on the Government to consider the need for legislation to protect bus transport workers. We need to consider the effectiveness of current legislation and how we can ensure that workers are safe at work. I support Unite’s call for a public transport safety summit involving key stakeholders.
Next week, along with Sue Webber and Mark Ruskell, I am holding a round table with Unite and key stakeholders. I understand that Jim Fairlie, the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, is able to attend. I want people to go to that meeting with a strong statement that the Parliament recognises the threat and abuse that bus drivers are facing at work and that we will take action. I urge parties to support our motion at decision time.
I move,
That the Parliament is deeply grieved by the death of Keith Rollinson following an assault at his place of work; agrees that workplace abuse is not acceptable and notes the serious concerns raised about levels of abuse in the recent mass survey of bus drivers in Scotland, carried out by Unite the Union; supports the union’s campaign to improve driver safety, including its call for a public transport safety summit involving key stakeholders; calls on the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland to take swift action to address antisocial behaviour and violence towards bus drivers, including exploring the potential for legislative measures to protect transport workers against assault, threats and abuse; notes the increase in the rate of incidents following the extension of the bus travel scheme; supports fully the provision of free bus travel for young people and children aged under 22 and notes the multiple benefits that it brings, but acknowledges that this comes with responsibilities, and calls on the Scottish Government to remove access to concessionary bus passes from individuals who repeatedly carry out antisocial behaviour.
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