London Bus Forums News obtained an exclusive telephone recording involving an Arriva London bus driver who refused to continue operating a bus after saying the temperature inside the driver’s cab had reached 43°C and the air conditioning was not working.
During the call, the driver is told he has been “marked absent for today” and can go home. The driver disputes this, telling the controller that he is not absent and is “simply too hot to drive”.
The recording was obtained as more than 1,500 Arriva bus drivers began strike action across north London and parts of Essex in a dispute over working conditions, including concerns about extreme temperatures inside drivers’ cabs.
Arriva London told London Bus Forums News it would not be appropriate to comment on an individual case without access to the recording. The company said driver welfare remained a priority and that additional hot-weather measures included regular breaks and welfare checks.
Read the full investigation
The recording forms part of wider reporting by London Bus Forums News into concerns over working conditions and cab temperatures during periods of extreme heat.
Read: Arriva bus driver sent home after refusing to drive bus without air conditioning in 43°C heat
Recording summary
The recording captures a conversation between an Arriva bus driver and a controller after the driver reported that the cab air conditioning was not working and said the temperature had reached 43°C.
The driver is told he has been marked absent and can go home after refusing to continue operating the bus.
Arriva said drivers concerned about cab temperatures should stop at the next safe location, transfer passengers and take a 20-minute welfare break before contacting control about whether they can safely continue their shift.
