Antisocial behaviour on Lothian Buses increases by almost 5%

Antisocial behaviour on Lothian Buses has increased almost five percent in 2025 versus 2024 – despite incidents during Halloween and Bonfire Night dropping by almost half.

A report on the performance of the firm going before city councillors next Thursday contained the figures, showing antisocial behaviour had increased by 4.79%.

Meanwhile, on Halloween and Bonfire Night together, incidents were down 46%.

The figures concern the entire Lothian network, including East Coast Buses and Lothian Country.

Bonfire Night 2025 was marked by a lack of violence and disorder compared to other recent years, which Labour council leader Jane Meagher hailed as a success.

Edinburgh Council is the majority owner of Lothian Buses, with Midlothian, East Lothian and West Lothian councils all holding small percentages of shares in the firm.

The report also stated that a ‘youth engagement policy’ published in 2025, endorsed by the police and Young Scot, had been ‘central’ to fighting bad behaviour on Lothian services.

Though not directly mentioned as a cause in the report, free bus travel for under-22s has often been cited as a contributing factor to increased antisocial behaviour on bus services in Scotland.

The report stated Lothian chief executive Sarah Boyd had been ‘central’ in efforts to add a behavioural code of conduct across Scotland for under-22s getting free bus travel.

Further, it added that she had been working to push for legislation to be introduced allowing free bus travel to be revoked in cases where passengers are exchanging in poor behaviour.

Holyrood signed off on legislation making this possible earlier this month, which will allow free bus travel to be removed from any free bus pass user.

Connectivity minister Jim Fairlie said at the time: “Implementation will be phased to ensure a fair and robust system, taking account of business impacts, child wellbeing, poverty considerations, and the needs of older and disabled people.”

He added that the goal of the legislation was to make bus services across Scotland safer, and that criminal behaviour on buses would continue to be Police Scotland’s responsibility.

The report will be considered by councillors at the next meeting of the Transport and Environment Committee on Thursday, April 2.