London bus drivers are set to stage a major protest on Wednesday 5 November, calling on Transport for London (TfL) to take urgent action over unsafe and degrading working conditions. Drivers have raised concerns about cockroach infestations, a shortage of accessible toilet facilities, and poor maintenance of those that do exist. They also cite exhausting schedules and pressure to work while unwell as key safety risks to themselves and the public.
The demonstration will begin at 11:00 am at Islington Green, N1 0NY, with a march to TfL’s headquarters at Palestra House in Southwark for a 1:00 pm rally.
The protest comes in response to growing concerns over hygiene and safety across London’s bus network. Recent media reports have highlighted cockroach infestations on buses, in rest areas and in driver cabs. Campaigners argue that the situation reveals deeper systemic neglect by both Transport for London (TfL) and its contracted bus operators.
At the heart of the protest is the Bus Drivers’ Bill of Rights, which sets out twelve core demands for safety and dignity at work. One of the biggest concerns is access to clean toilets. At present, only about half of all London bus routes provide any toilet access for drivers, and many of those facilities are not cleaned or maintained regularly. The document also calls for protection from forced overtime, proper rest breaks, working cab heating and cooling, and safeguards for whistleblowers.
Tom Kearney, a Bus Crash Survivor who has long campaigned for Systemic Reforms to improve the Operational Safety Performance of London’s Franchised Bus Operation, offered the following statement when approached for comment:
“Even if the Mayor and Chair of Transport for London is successful in delivering his 2016 Manifesto promise, I fear this potentially historic move to eliminate road danger for pedestrians on Oxford Street will be seriously undermined by Sir Sadiq’s ongoing refusal to embed the London Bus Drivers Bill of Rights into Transport for London’s Framework Bus Services Contract.
According to Transport for London’s own 2024 data, more than one pedestrian is killed every month in a preventable bus safety incident “in or by a bus” in London. Wouldn’t it be a shame if that horrific trend, not the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street or even Vision Zero, ends up defining the Mayor’s legacy?”
Image © London Bus Forums™
Image © London Bus Forums™
Drivers say their concerns go beyond their own working conditions. Many are worried that the long hours, unpredictable shift patterns, and lack of proper rest increase the risk of mistakes behind the wheel, dangers that were highlighted by the 2019 Investigation of London Bus Driver Fatigue by Loughborough University. The 2021 UCL Institute of Health Equity Study of Bus Driver Deaths from Covid revealed that London Bus Drivers’ exposure to the Covid-19 virus may well have increased the risk of fatigue to Bus Drivers and, as a result, TfL agreed to undertake a short-term review of shift lengths, patterns and rotas of London bus drivers. But based on the Mayor’s response to Question 2025/0975 from Keith Prince AM in March 2025, TfL has yet to undertake this review. Drivers also point to faulty vehicles and limited access to toilets as daily challenges that are not just uncomfortable, but well evidenced dangers long ignored by TfL and the Mayor.
For a full breakdown of why these issues lead to strike action, see our London Bus Strikes – The Complete 2025 Guide.
Those involved in the campaign stress that their demands are about making the bus network safer for everyone who comes in contact with it. They believe that real improvements will only come about when the voices of front line staff are taken seriously, and when basic conditions like rest facilities and reliable schedules are guaranteed across all bus routes.
Image © London Bus Forums™
Campaigners have also pointed to long-standing safety governance failings at TfL and called on current board members to publicly acknowledge the crisis and commit to urgent improvements or resign.
Michael Liebreich, a former TfL board member and chair of its safety panel, has publicly backed the campaign since its inception, and during the 5 November 2024 rally, said:
“It is institutionally unsafe when drivers are forced to work without access to toilets, when they are pressured to skip checks, to run red lights, or to drive while dehydrated or exhausted,” he told the crowd.
“All the things people think drivers do because they are careless actually happen because the system is broken. The structure of the contracts, based on mileage and headway targets, creates the conditions that lead to these risks.”
He warned that unless these issues are addressed, they could spread across the country:
“This is the time to put our foot down and say no. I stand here in solidarity with you and your demand for the Bus Drivers Bill of Rights.”
Image © London Bus Forums™
Image © London Bus Forums™
GMB union support
Steve Garelick from GMB Union London has also voiced strong support for the march. In a public statement, he cited issues like driver abuse, unfair contracts, and cockroach infestations, calling the current situation “a nightmare for workers”.
Organisers expect a major turnout on 5 November and are calling on the public to show support either by joining the protest or signing the petition at https://shorturl.at/gp50v Updates will be posted throughout the day on London Bus Forums.
