A SCOTTISH transport chief has said she is determined to tackle a “post-Covid bounce in anti-social behaviour” causing issues on the nation’s rail and bus network.
Valerie Davidson, the chief executive of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), told Scotland on Sunday that transport bodies should work together to deal with the problem in order to bring in more passengers and ensure women’s safety on transport services.
SPT is tasked with co-ordinating 70% of Scotland’s public transport trips, and also runs the Glasgow Subway and city’s Buchanan Bus Station.
Just last week, a 45-year-old man was charged in connection with a serious assault at the bus station.
Bus services have been disrupted by stone-throwing and laser-pointing too, a problem which also occurred in Edinburgh and West Lothian.
The RMT union recently threatened a boycott of rail services, like the Glasgow to Balloch train, citing incidents like workers being threatened with knives and other weapons.
According to British Transport Police, anti-social behaviour among under-18s was up 63% in the year to March when compared to pre-Covid figures – however it is thought that the number has fallen since this data was published.
The SPT chief will be leading the new Strategic Safer Transport Group, which is made up of SPT, British Transport Police, ScotRail, Network Rail Scotland and Transport Scotland.
"Across Europe, there seems to be some kind of post-Covid bounce in anti-social behaviour and we’re seeing elements of it,” she told the newspaper. “It’s more than it was pre-Covid.”
The transport boss said while anti-social behaviour had traditionally been a weekend problem, it now affects services during the week.
Davidson described anti-social behaviour on public transport as one of her “bugbears” and a “big issue”, adding that alcohol and football matches factor into the problem.
"After football [matches], and it doesn’t matter which club it is, not just Glasgow clubs, there’s always issues,” she said.
"It has got to the stage where we have had to disrupt services and we’ve had damage at the bus station – even this week there were smashed glass panels at St Enoch [Subway station], which will cost around £4000 to get fixed.”
She went on: "Collectively, we need to come together to make sure there’s a consistent message that it’s not acceptable – there is a lot to be done.”
A spokesperson for the British Transport Police said ensuring the transport network is safe is their “priority”.
"Significant targeted work by officers has seen a reduction in incidents this year so far,” they added.
“Passengers continue to be our eyes and ears, and all reports help us to build a picture of what is happening and take appropriate action.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson added that Police Scotland and the British Transport Police work closely with rail and bus operators to deal with the problem.
"Partnership working is already at the heart of our approach, but we will continue to explore further opportunities, including through our regional transport partnerships [such as SPT],” they said.
“To better understand the particular concerns of women and girls, we are currently undertaking research on their personal safety across and around public transport.
"Our engagement work with women and girls, which will take place over the summer, is expected to capture views and experiences of accessing and using public transport.”
