Bus drivers speak out during strike action at Bow Bus Garage, where London Bus Forums attended the latest walkout and heard serious concerns over fatigue, long shifts, limited recovery time between duties and wider safety issues.
The strike at Bow has become one of the most high-profile recent disputes in London’s bus network, with drivers on the picket line arguing that current working patterns are placing increasing pressure on drivers while doing little to address growing concerns around rest, welfare and public safety.
The action also comes at a time when the issue of driver fatigue has moved further into the public spotlight. Just hours earlier, ITV News London aired a report into poor working conditions faced by London bus drivers, including claims that some drivers are falling asleep at the wheel and, in some cases, urinating in jars while on duty because of inadequate facilities and lack of time.
Against that backdrop, the concerns raised at Bow Garage carried added weight.
Bus Drivers Speak Out During Strike as Pressure Grows
Speaking to London Bus Forums on the picket line, drivers described a working environment in which long duties, reduced recovery time between shifts and ongoing fatigue are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
Several of the concerns raised centred on the amount of time drivers have between duties, and whether current working patterns are sustainable over the long term. Drivers said the issue is not simply about inconvenience, but about basic welfare, concentration, alertness and the ability to carry out a safety critical role properly.
One driver summed up the feeling among drivers by saying: “We’re human. But they’re treating us like we’re machines.”
The remark captures the mood among many of those involved in the dispute and reflects a broader frustration over what drivers see as mounting pressure with too little regard for recovery, wellbeing and dignity at work.
London Bus Forums also spoke to Michael Plummer, Unite Convenor, who said drivers want to see a return to duty structures that previously allowed for more proper rest and recovery time between shifts.
He said the concerns now being raised by drivers should not be dismissed as isolated complaints, but recognised as part of a much wider issue affecting working conditions, driver welfare and ultimately public safety.
The message from the picket line was clear. Drivers believe the current system is placing too much strain on staff and that meaningful changes are needed, not just short term reassurances.
Fatigue Concerns Move Into Wider Spotlight
The Bow dispute is now feeding into a broader debate about how London’s bus services are run and whether enough attention is being paid to the cumulative effects of fatigue.
Drivers who spoke to London Bus Forums drew a clear link between long duties, inadequate recovery time and wider safety concerns. While responsibility for day to day operations sits with individual operators, many of the issues being raised are increasingly prompting wider questions about how the system as a whole is functioning.
That debate has only intensified following the recent spate of bus crashes in London and ITV’s subsequent report into driver fatigue and working conditions.
For many drivers, the issue is no longer simply about difficult shifts. It is about whether the current system is sustainable at all, and whether enough is being done to protect both drivers and the travelling public.
© London Bus Forums™
London Bus Forums Video Report
London Bus Forums recorded a video report from Bow Bus Garage featuring footage from the picket line, commentary from drivers and an interview with Michael Plummer.
As the dispute continues, London Bus Forums will keep following developments both at Bow and across the wider London bus network.
