Taking action on anti-social behaviour on buses
The Scottish Government has set out secondary legislation to tackle anti-social behaviour on buses, marking a significant step towards improving safety and confidence for all passengers.
The legislation gives Scottish Ministers the enabling power to suspend or withdraw concessionary travel for users who breach a forthcoming Code of Conduct. This will apply to all users of the National Concessionary Travel Schemes, which provides free bus travel for young people aged 5–21, older people aged 60+, and people with disabilities.
This action is part of a wider approach to encourage positive behaviour on Scotland’s bus network. Transport Scotland will now begin work with partners to develop the detailed processes and publish the Code of Conduct, expected in 2026.
Minister for Connectivity Jim Fairlie said:
“Free bus travel is invaluable to so many of the scheme users, particularly those who face financial barriers to transport. I’ve met people who have benefitted from these schemes, and I’ve heard about the life-changing benefits it can provide.
“In order to protect this, we’ve taken the first step today to ensure that they, and all other bus passengers, can continue to travel safely and confidently on our bus network.
“The vast majority of people who benefit from free bus travel use this privilege responsibly. Where it does occur, I have the greatest sympathy for bus drivers and passengers who are affected by anti-social behaviour from a small minority. Everyone should be able to go to their work and travel without fear of abuse – and these measures will help support that.”
BACKGROUND
In 2024, there were over 2.3 million National Concessionary Travel Scheme (NTCS) cardholders in Scotland. Over half of the 334 million bus journeys made in 2023–24 were made under the NCTS
In particular, since free bus travel for under 22s was introduced three years ago – over 260 million journeys have been made. Over 80% of eligible young people now have access to the scheme.
Transport Scotland is developing a multi-faceted approach to encourage positive behaviour on the bus network, including introducing a code of conduct for all NCTS users, developing educational materials outlining responsible behaviour on buses, and exploring additional visible safety measures.
The Code of Conduct will set clear standards for respectful and responsible behaviour when travelling by bus using the NCTS.
Suspension of concessionary travel will not prevent a person from paying to travel on the bus service, although operators may refuse service under their conditions of carriage. The policy will not be introduced immediately. The legislation first needs to be approved by the Scottish Parliament, and following that, Transport Scotland will work with partners to develop the process and procedures to administer the policy, including the publication of the Code of Conduct. This is expected to occur in 2026.
The policy will apply to all NCTS users, including the Young Persons Scheme and the Older and Disabled Persons Scheme. The legislation sets out high-level procedural requirements to ensure any suspension or withdrawal process is fair and balanced.
Further engagement with bus operators and user groups will take place in the coming year to inform detailed administration of the policy.
This initiative complements the Scottish Government’s wider approach to tackling anti-social behaviour, including prevention and early intervention through the Violence Prevention Framework and Cashback for Communities programme.
The draft secondary legislation can be found here: The National Bus Travel Concession Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Order 2026