The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Survey shows negativity at free bus pass
Angus bus drivers are unfairly preventing young people from using their free bus passes due to anti-social behaviour concerns, it has been claimed.
Free bus travel for under 22s in Scotland has been blamed for an increase in anti-social behaviour on bus services in Angus and Dundee.
But the authors of a new survey into bus travel in Angus believe some drivers are targeting all young people as a result.
Marcus Flucker, 18, and Hollie Mcintosh, 17, are members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) for Angus South – they have been investigating bus travel in Angus.
Hollie said one bus driver had removed bus passes from two children, aged between 11 and 12, splitting up a group of around six during an incident this summer.
“He said the passes weren’t theirs and accused them of faking their own identity.”
Half the group ended up in Arbroath, separated from their friends, after the driver allegedly refused to let those already on the bus leave the vehicle.
“That really shocked me,” she added.
The pair receive similar reports “about every six weeks”, Marcus added.
He said: “There’s negativity towards the (free bus) pass. I understand why that is. We accept there always will be a very small group that take part in anti-social behaviour.
“But there is negativity from transport staff towards young people using the bus, particularly those using it for free.”
Aside from their SYP roles, Marcus is in his first year studying politics at Dundee University while Hollie is a pupil at Carnoustie High School.
Their survey also highlights a series of other issues with bus travel in the county. These include ‘ghost buses’ – buses that show on an app or digital timetable but never arrive.
The pair have also raised concerns about the safety of young people while aboard.
Perth-based transport company Stagecoach operate many of the services criticised in the survey.
A Stagecoach East Scotland spokesperson said they investigate allegations of poor staff behaviour thoroughly.
She said: “We expect our employees to be helpful to all customers and treat them with respect.
“We very much want to ensure that young people see bus travel as an attractive option now, and into the future.”
The data in the report reflects bus operators overall and not just Stagecoach, she added.
“However, we acknowledge that there have been service provision issues in the Angus area, caused by the national skills shortage.”
She said recruitment and timetable changes should soon result in an “improvement in reliability going forward”.