Killer of Elgin bus driver Keith Rollinson will remain eligible for free bus travel scheme as Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay writes to Scottish Government calling for change
A teenager who killed Elgin bus driver Keith Rollinson will be entitled to free bus travel once again when he is released from prison if changes to the scheme are not made.
Mr Rollinson died after being attacked by the then 15-year-old at Elgin Bus Station in February 2024.
Initially charged with murder, the boy later admitted a charge of culpable homicide and was jailed for four years and four months.
That means he will still be eligible for a free bus pass, which anyone aged 5 to 21 can apply for, when he is released.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay has now written to justice secretary Angela Constance and transport secretary Fiona Hyslop on behalf of Mr Rollinson’s widow Sue.
In an interview with The Daily Mail, Mrs Rollinson said: “The boy who killed my husband will be entitled to a free bus pass when he is released, even though he attacked and killed a bus driver and previously attacked another one.
“I need the SNP to listen to me, listen to the public.
“Something needs to change."
In his letter, Mr Findlay calls for the removal of bus passes from those who abuse them.
His letter reads: “This tragedy is one of many cases of serious violence inflicted by young people in possession of free bus passes issued by your government.
“Intimidation and anti-social behaviour are rife, causing fear to drivers and passengers, including most young people who use their passes responsibly.
“My colleague Sue Webber MSP, along with myself and others have urged your government to remove passes from those who commit crime and anti-social behaviour.
“On behalf of Sue and her family, and the law-abiding majority of Scots, I would be grateful if you could give a clear commitment to remove bus passes from those who misuse them and provide a specific date on when this will happen.
“It is truly sickening to know that if this matter is not dealt with, Keith’s killer will again be entitled to a free bus pass upon his release from custody.”
Mr Findlay’s comments come after a Northern Scot investigation in February found that instances of anti-social behaviour have surged at Elgin Bus Station since 2022 - the year the Scottish Government introduced the free bus travel scheme for young people.
The MSP is not alone in calling for the introduction of sanctions on the scheme with Unite the union also doing so in the aftermath of Mr Rollinson’s death last year.
