Under 22s could have free bus passes withdrawn for anti-social behaviour

Transport minister Fiona Hyslop considering move after concern from MSPs

Young people involved in anti-social behaviour on buses could have their free travel passes suspended under plans being considered by transport minister Fiona Hyslop.

The move is being investigated by Scottish Government officials amid widespread concern among MSPs that some under-22s have abused the scheme since it was introduced in January last year.

It came as ScotRail announced a £1.6 million plan to triple the number of staff with body-worn cameras to help tackle anti-social behaviour, increase staffing on late-night trains in problem areas and introduce a team to tackle fare dodging.

Lothian Buses are among operators to have suffered anti-social behaviour by under 22s. (Photo by Lisa Ferguson/The Scotsman)

Ms Hyslop told MSPs on Thursday she had asked whether the bus passes could be blocked digitally to prevent them from being used. However, she stressed the vast majority of the 700,000 young people who used the scheme were doing it responsibly, enabling them to travel more and help “embed sustainable travel choices for the next generation”.

The minister was responding to several MSPs highlighting cases of youths using free bus travel to cause trouble, including in Edinburgh and Aberdeenshire.

She said: “I have asked officials to look at what temporary digital blocking measures could be used, but I understand this would require police time and cooperation, and identification of offending individuals, increased administrative time and expertise, and technological fixes which are not yet apparent."

Ms Hyslop stressed: “I want to be clear this would not be age specific.”

MSPs stressed most under 22s used their free bus passes responsibly

‘Emerging threat’ of youth anti-social behaviour on trains and buses in Scotland – British Transport Police

Aberdeenshire West Scottish Conservative MSP Alexander Burnett said an incident at Deeside Rugby Club had involved a group of teenagers who had travelled from Aberdeen and “barged into the club house, threw insults at members … and were clearly only intent on a trouble-making spree”.

"Due to social media trends, we are seeing an increase in this behaviour – a minority of young people travelling simply to cause carnage in areas they previously could not access,” he said.

Scottish Conservatives transport spokesperson Graham Simpson, who welcomed Ms Hyslop’s move, said passengers had been threatened and buses vandalised, which could deter people from travelling by bus. Drivers had been spat at and racially abused.

He said: “There is also a perception that the scheme may have also contributed to increased anti-social behaviour in and around bus stations and other locations such as shopping centres."

Mr Simpson said incidents in Edinburgh included teenagers from Motherwell, Glasgow, Inverness and Fife travelling there to carry out anti-social behaviour using their free bus passes.

Shopkeepers had suffered abuse, vandalism, theft and intimidation, while Lothian Buses had suffered £1,700 of broken windows in three days last month.

Mr Simpson said the operator had seen a “significant increase in anti-social behaviour” since the introduction of the scheme, and it was at record levels throughout Scotland.

He said: “If the culprits hold a free travel card, then they are abusing a privilege paid for by the taxpayer and that should not continue.”

On the railways, a dedicated British Transport Police investigator will focus on cases of abuse on staff, with repeat offenders targeted with “prohibitive court orders”.

Chief Inspector Chris Shields said: “Substantial investment has been made to improve an already excellent CCTV coverage of the rail network in Scotland, and we will investigate all incidents of abuse against staff with appropriate action being taken against perpetrators."