Scottish Government

Main Findings

• Anti-social behaviour on buses has been experienced by over two thirds (70%) of those using buses as a mode of travel in Scotland. Anti-social behaviour is perceived to be increasing in terms of both its frequency and seriousness.
• Rudeness, drunken behaviour, dumping litter and smoking cigarettes were the types of anti-social behaviour most frequently experienced by passengers.
• Anti-social behaviour was experienced most frequently by bus drivers between 9pm and 12pm. There was a higher incidence of anti-social behaviour on buses in urban areas.
• Anti-social behaviour was identified as one of the main problems faced by bus drivers. There is currently a lack of information on how anti-social behaviour impacts upon the recruitment and retention of drivers.
• The vast majority of anti-social behaviour is perceived to be committed by 13 to 24 year olds. Opinion was split between those respondents who perceived anti-social behaviour to be committed solely or mostly by males and those who felt that males and females were equally responsible.
• Those aged 60 and over were the least likely to have experienced anti-social behaviour, but were perceived to be most affected by anti-social behaviour.
• Nine per cent of respondents who had experienced anti-social behaviour on buses stated that they were less likely to use buses as a form of transport as a result. Thirteen percent of respondents said they would be more likely to travel by bus if there were no anti-social behaviour.
• Bus drivers have experience of a wide range of measures/ initiatives to deal with anti-social behaviour. Over a quarter (28%) of all bus drivers stated that they had received no training on how to deal with anti-social behaviour and 91% of bus drivers would like more training on how to deal with anti-social behaviour on buses.
• Anti-social behaviour on buses could be reduced through improved reporting of anti-social behaviour, improved training for bus drivers, increased partnership working and the use of educational, physical and preventative strategies.

Introduction

The Scottish Executive is committed to delivering an integrated transport system which meets economic and social needs but does not threaten the environment.

The Scottish Executive consultation on anti-social behaviour identified "anti-social behaviour on public transport" as an area that "consultees felt it was important that the Scottish Executive takes steps to deal with".

Given the importance of the issue, the Scottish Executive commissioned research to examine the issue in depth.

Aims and Objectives

The aims of the broad research programme were to identify the following:

1. The extent of anti-social behaviour on Scottish buses and the perceived extent of anti-social behaviour on buses by members of the public
2. The types of anti-social behaviour that are most likely to occur on buses
3. The times at which, and places where, anti-social behaviour is most likely to occur
4. The effects of anti-social behaviour on drivers and driver recruitment
5. The types of people who are most likely to behave in an anti-social manner and those who are most likely to be affected by anti-social behaviour
6. The effect of anti-social behaviour on other passengers
7. The wider societal impact of anti-social behaviour on buses
8. Measures currently in place to tackle anti-social behaviour on buses and their relative impact
9. Successful ways of reducing anti-social behaviour on buses.

Methodology

The research methodology comprised five key elements:

1. A collation and review of current literature relating to anti-social behaviour on buses in the UK and abroad.
2. A household survey. This was split into 3 separate elements. A representative sample of 600 interviews across Scotland among adults aged 16 and over; a booster of 70 interviews with individuals aged 12-15 across the same sample points as the representative sample; 400 interviews among adults aged 16 and over in areas defined by bus companies as experiencing high levels of anti-social behaviour on buses and at bus stops.
3. A survey of bus companies. This involved 12 in-depth telephone interviews with bus company managers, followed by a self-completion postal survey. A total of 27 bus company managers responded to the survey.
4. A survey of bus drivers. This involved qualitative discussions (mini focus groups and in-depth interviews) with a total of 24 bus drivers, followed by a quantitative self-completion survey. A total of 174 self-completion questionnaires were returned.
5. Interviews with key stakeholders. This involved a total of 15 in-depth interviews with key stakeholders within partnership organisations, training organisations and other organisations involved in initiatives aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour.

All fieldwork took place between February and June 2004.

Bus Usage

Public buses are the second most regularly used form of transport across Scotland, with the car being the most regularly used form of transport. Usage of buses is generally highest among 12-18 years olds, the over 60s, those living in urban areas, females, those within the C2DE socio-economic grouping and those not working.

Anti-Social Behaviour on Buses

At a spontaneous level, anti-social behaviour on buses is associated by the general public primarily with rudeness (66%) or drunken behaviour (45%).

Over two thirds (70%) of respondents who had ever used public buses had experienced some form of anti-social behaviour on them, with this higher in urban (71%) than rural (62%) areas. A minority of respondents who had travelled by bus in the last four weeks (26%) had experienced some form of anti-social behaviour in that period.

The main types of anti-social behaviour experienced by those who had ever travelled by bus were rudeness or verbal abuse (40%), drunken behaviour (39%), the dumping of litter or rubbish (39%) and smoking cigarettes on the bus (37%). Throwing objects at the bus was the only other type experienced by more than a quarter of the sample (28%). These types of anti-social behaviour were also most commonly experienced by bus drivers in the last three months. This was broadly in line with perceptions of bus company managers as to what forms of anti-social behaviour are most regularly experienced by bus drivers. Bus drivers also referred to experiencing objects being thrown at their buses (89%)

Anti-social behaviour was experienced most frequently by bus drivers between 9pm and 12pm with more respondents perceiving it to be committed equally by males and females (47%) than felt it was caused either mainly (19%) or totally (25%) caused by males. Those perceived to be most affected by anti-social behaviour were the over 60s. Anti-social behaviour was perceived to impact equally on males and females. There was a general consensus among drivers and the general public that those committing anti-social behaviour were primarily aged between 13 and 24.

A majority of bus drivers and bus company managers perceived the amount of anti-social behaviour to be increasing either substantially (65% drivers, 33% company managers) or slightly (16% and 33%). The qualitative data also shows concerns on the part of bus drivers that there is an increase in the more violent forms of anti-social behaviour such as physical assault.

Anti-social behaviour also appears to be a significant issue for the general public, who generally thought that it was getting worse.

The general public also tended to feel that the law was too lenient on people who were anti-social on buses and the government should be doing more to deal with it. Drivers and bus company managers interviewed felt the police did not react sufficiently quickly, and in enough numbers, but felt that the police did not have sufficient resources to deal with the issue.

Drivers and managers tended to feel that increasing the number of prosecutions would act as a deterrent. Drivers were more likely than company staff to agree that those charged at present were given sufficient sentences.

A lack of alternative modes of travel impacts much more on bus usage than anti-social behaviour specifically. Thirteen per cent of respondents stated that they would be more likely to travel by bus if there were no incidents of anti-social behaviour.

Many bus company managers found it difficult to provide data in relation to the cost of anti-social behaviour. Where figures could be provided, these related primarily to more tangible aspects of anti-social behaviour such as actual damage to buses or property.

Key areas of expenditure for most bus companies in relation to anti-social behaviour were repairing windows or seats, removing graffiti and other cleaning costs, and operating extra vehicles to cover for vehicles out of action due to anti-social behaviour. There is very limited data available on the impact of anti-social behaviour on the recruitment and retention of bus company staff.

Training

A higher proportion bus drivers undertake training on anti-social behaviour through informal discussions with colleagues (52%) than by formal training either as part of initial training (32%) or as part of on-going training (14%). In total, 93% of drivers would like more training on how to deal with anti-social behaviour on buses although only 59% of bus company managers think there should be more training.

Those who did want more training tended to prefer formal training either as part of on-going (80%) or initial training (62%). Over a quarter of all bus drivers (28%) say they have had no training on how to deal with anti-social behaviour.

A lack of training for drivers is reflected by a lack of available training budgets. Companies who wish to provide more training tend to say they do not do so at present due to a lack of time (56%) or money (44%), although some companies claim to currently be looking into ways of implementing more training for bus drivers (50%).

Initiatives to Deal with Anti-Social Behaviour

High proportions of respondents focus on measures to deal with the most violent forms of anti-social behaviour (physical assault), albeit that these are the types of anti-social behaviour with relatively low levels of occurrence.

In terms of specific initiatives, many bus drivers have experience of CCTV cameras (57%), panic alarms (55%), offering free travel to off-duty police (55%) and using safety screens (54%). These measures are generally felt to be effective by bus drivers and the general public. Having undercover police on important routes, police escorts and spit kits are also deemed to be effective by bus drivers. The three measures felt to be most effective by bus company managers were a dedicated police officer in each force, CCTV cameras on buses and undercover police on important routes.

The qualitative and quantitative data both suggest that there needs to be a range of initiatives in place to deal effectively with anti-social behaviour. Emphasis is placed on the need for partnership working between different organisations in order to effectively deal with anti-social behaviour. Bus company staff felt that the Scottish Executive should be the lead organisation, working in conjunction with other organisations such as the police, the local council and the companies themselves.

Education at as early an age as possible is perceived to be an important element in tackling anti-social behaviour, with school-based initiatives being particularly welcomed by a number of stakeholders.

Figures on expenditure in relation to implementation of initiatives need to be treated with caution as there is a large degree of variance across the different bus companies participating in this study. The measure on which highest proportions of money was spent in the last year was CCTV cameras on buses. Other expenditure related to having a dedicated police officer dealing solely with issues related to anti-social behaviour on buses, safety screens and diversionary approaches.

In terms of future expenditure, on tackling anti-social behaviour on buses almost half (48%) of bus company managers foresee an increase in budgets, although 30% considered budgets would remain at the same level for the next 3 years. No bus company considered that budgets would decrease in the next 3 years.

The Way Forward

This programme of research has identified a number of ways in which anti-social behaviour can be tackled in the future and these are :

• Improve reporting of incidents by bus drivers and companies to ensure accurate data on frequency and nature of incidents is available
• Wherever possible, information also to be kept on the type of individual committing each act of anti-social behaviour
• Bus companies to keep detailed records of costs in relation to anti-social behaviour (including recruitment and retention costs)
• Increased training for drivers (both as part of initial training and on an on-going basis)
• Increase partnership working across organisations dealing with anti-social behaviour such as bus companies, the police, local authorities and the Scottish Executive
• Ensure a focus on educational initiatives for dealing with problems.
• Make sure bus drivers and bus companies feel adequately protected, both in terms of initiatives available and the legal system
• Introduction of a range of different initiatives encompassing physical, preventative and diversionary approaches
• Share good practice across bus companies
• Increase number of prosecutions for anti-social behaviour