In mid-November, trade union Unite released the findings of a survey of 1,100 bus drivers across Scotland, which it says reveals historic high levels of abuse and major concerns over safety on public transport. The union has been campaigning to improve bus driver safety in the aftermath of Keith Rollinson’s death following an assault at his place of work in Elgin in February this year.
Unite’s mass survey of 1,100 bus drivers found that 99% support stronger legislative measures to protect bus drivers, and 84% said the number of instances of abuse at work increased in the last 12 months. Where respondents said they had been a victim of abuse, 83% said it was verbal abuse, 16% physical abuse, and 1% of victims reported sexual abuse/assault at work.
Some 79% of respondents said the abuse suffered was not reported to the police while 48% did not report it to their employer. 69% of those who did report an abuse incident said they were dissatisfied with their employer’s response. 51% said they do not feel safe at work while 85% said they believe it is now ‘just part of the job.’
In the aftermath of the survey findings, Unite has called on the Scottish Government to swiftly hold a public transport safety summit involving all key stakeholders including unions, bus companies, transport bodies, local authorities and the police. The trade union is demanding that its ‘Road Map to Safety’ is implemented, which would introduce a set of minimum safety measures aimed at discouraging anti-social and violent behaviour on buses.
The road map includes increasing the presence of police officers or community wardens on buses, CCTV coverage on buses and at bus stations, panic buttons and other enhanced safety features installed on buses including ‘internal locking systems.’
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Urgent measures must be taken to address the staggering level of abuse being suffered by bus drivers. In no way is this acceptable. Unite members will not tolerate abuse any longer. The Scottish Government has to step up and step in to ensure our members feel safe at work. A do nothing response is not an option. Unite is working with its members to explore all options to ensure endemic workplace abuse is tackled in the workplace.”
The survey identified that 99% of bus drivers are supportive of legislation that would make it a specific offence to assault, threaten or abuse transport workers while at work, which it says could be achieved either through new legislation or by amending the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005.
The union said that although anti-social behaviour has been widespread for years on buses and that the problem pre-exists the extension of the bus travel scheme, drivers are reporting that the rate of incidents has increased with the scheme’s extension.
Unite Scottish secretary Derek Thomson said: “A public transport safety summit involving all key stakeholders needs to happen as a first step. This is a national public safety issue affecting drivers and passengers. We need legislation, without delay, which addresses this wave of anti-social behaviour and violence towards bus workers because as each day passes drivers are being put at risk.”
