City Hall has unanimously backed a motion calling for a “Bus Drivers’ Bill of Rights” to improve working conditions for bus drivers across London.
The motion, proposed by Reform UK London Assembly Member Keith Prince, calls on the Mayor of London and Transport for London to formally recognise a set of rights covering rest breaks, toilet access, safer schedules, cab heating and cooling, and protection for drivers who raise safety concerns.
All 21 London Assembly members in attendance backed the motion, which will now be put forward to the Mayor and TfL for a formal response.
THE KEY POINTS
At a glance
- London Assembly members have unanimously backed a motion calling for a Bus Drivers’ Bill of Rights.
- The proposed rights include proper rest breaks, clean toilet facilities, safer schedules and protection for drivers raising safety concerns.
- The motion calls for working air cooling in bus cabs during summer and working heaters during winter.
- The Mayor of London and Transport for London will now be asked to respond to the proposals.
It follows growing concern from drivers during the recent London heatwave, with complaints about faulty cab air-cooling systems, high temperatures inside bus cabs and uncertainty over whether drivers would be supported if they declined to drive a bus they believed was unsafe.
London Bus Forums previously reported on drivers raising concerns about cab temperatures during the hot weather, including claims that some buses remained in service despite defective or ineffective cooling systems.
The London Assembly said drivers face pressures including long hours, difficult working conditions, extreme temperatures in vehicle cabs, fatigue and concerns around access to welfare facilities.
Keith Prince AM said the welfare, dignity and safety of London’s bus drivers should be a priority for the Mayor and TfL.
He said: “Drivers and their trade unions have been raising concerns for a long time, and those concerns have now been formally recognised.”
He added that it was now for the Mayor to “get on board” with the Bill of Rights and work with operators and unions to improve conditions for drivers.
ITV News London also reported on calls for a Bus Drivers’ Bill of Rights, including concerns around cab cooling, rest breaks and welfare facilities.
The 12 proposed rights for London bus drivers
The motion sets out 12 principles within the proposed Bus Drivers’ Bill of Rights:
- The right to a safe work schedule without any forced overtime or loss of pay.
- The right to a decent and proper rest break in the working day.
- The right to drive a safe and well-maintained vehicle.
- The right to clean, serviced toilet and rest facilities on all bus routes.
- The right to report safety concerns without fear of retribution from TfL or employers.
- The right, when seriously ill and covered by a doctor’s note, to not be harassed into coming into work until fit to do so.
- The right to relevant and timely safety training.
- The right to drive without being forced to answer radio messages and texts from controllers while in motion.
- The right to have all company rules in writing and clearly displayed.
- The right to be treated with dignity and respect by employers, TfL and the public.
- The right to working air cooling in cabs during the summer heat.
- The right to working heaters in cabs during the cold of winter.
The Assembly is also calling on the Mayor and TfL to work with bus operators, trade unions and driver representatives to implement the rights across all contracted London bus services.
It has also called for existing contracts with bus operators to be reviewed to ensure minimum standards are being enforced on rest breaks, welfare facilities, vehicle maintenance, heating and cooling systems, and driver welfare protections.
The motion also asks for stronger protections for whistleblowers and drivers raising legitimate safety concerns, and an urgent review into cab temperatures and ventilation standards across the London bus fleet.
For London bus drivers, the motion does not mean the Bill of Rights becomes enforceable overnight.
However, it does put formal political pressure on the Mayor, TfL and bus operators to respond to concerns that drivers have been raising for years.
The issue of cab cooling has become particularly prominent during periods of extreme heat.
During the recent heatwave, Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said drivers should not be expected to continue driving if their bus cab was too hot and that they should not be penalised for stopping on safety grounds.
Drivers will now be watching closely to see whether that message is applied consistently at garage level.
For many, the key question is whether a driver who reports a defective cooling system, excessive cab heat or an unsafe vehicle will be properly supported in practice.
TfL has previously said it takes driver safety and welfare seriously and requires bus operators to meet high standards.
But the passing of the motion shows that Assembly members believe further action is needed to make sure those standards are clear, consistent and properly enforced across London’s bus network.
The Mayor and TfL have been asked to report back to the Assembly within twelve months on progress made towards implementing the measures and improving conditions for London’s bus drivers.
London Bus Forums will continue to follow this issue and wants to hear from drivers about whether conditions improve following the Assembly vote.
Drivers can contact London Bus Forums News confidentially at: [email protected]
As a vocational licence holder of over 30 years now – some of those years on the coaches all over Europe – and latterly as a public bus service driver, myself like many of my colleagues around the UK are growing increasingly concerned that the concentration on this particular subject is largely focused on TFL and what happens in London.
It’s important to recognise, that whilst perhaps TFL & Sir Sadiq Khan are key players in setting the high standards required for both bus service drivers & their passengers in and around our capital city, these standards need to trickle down to the rest of England and our other United nations within these islands.
The Bus Service Improvement Plan, should not just solely be about route services Improvement and interconnectivity availability. It should also concentrate on how public transport systems providers all across the UK are able to provide suitable vehicles that are effective and efficient. Not just for the drivers, but for passengers too. And its my belief, that leading UK manufacturers of future rolling stock our industry will need over the coming decades, should be key players and involved in every step of this conversation.
The extremes of weather we see in the UK now, are no longer unprecedented events. They’re increasingly becoming more frequent. We need to step up to the challenges this now presents.