More than 150 TfL bus controllers and network traffic controllers are continuing strike action today in a dispute over rota changes.
The two-day walkout began on Thursday 21 May and is continuing on Friday 22 May.
The staff involved work in safety-critical roles across London’s bus network, including responding to incidents, managing bus stations, arranging bus stop closures and putting diversions in place during disruption or emergencies.
Unite said the dispute centres on rota changes which it claims would increase weekend working and require staff to cover additional locations across London.
The union also claims the changes could increase fatigue and put workers at risk of disciplinary action if they are unable to reach sites in time.
Safety concerns
Concerns have also been raised about how bus services were managed during previous strike action in April.
More than 85 unofficial bus diversions were allegedly made by private operators between 23 and 25 April without TfL risk assessments being carried out.
Such assessments are used to ensure diversions are safe for bus drivers, passengers and other road users.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:
“It is an absolute disgrace that while our members are taking industrial action to fight for their conditions with passenger safety at the forefront of their concerns, TfL and the bus companies failed to maintain safety standards.
“TfL and the bus firms have serious questions to answer about why proper risk assessments were not undertaken. They must also change tack and listen to the concerns of our members, who we will continue to fully support during this dispute.”
Bus controllers and network traffic controllers are not always seen by passengers, but they play an important role in keeping London’s bus network moving.
They help respond to incidents, support bus stations, manage diversions and deal with disruption caused by road closures, collisions or heavy traffic.
Any reduction in controller availability could make it harder to manage incidents and maintain service reliability during the strike.
The action is separate from London bus driver strikes, but could still affect the wider bus network because controllers are involved in managing disruption and diversions.
What passengers should know
The strike does not mean all London buses will stop running, as the action involves TfL bus controllers and network traffic controllers rather than bus drivers.
However, passengers may still notice delays or slower responses to disruption, particularly if there are road closures, collisions, heavy traffic or unexpected incidents during the strike period.
Passengers are advised to check live travel information before setting off and allow extra time for journeys where possible.
London Bus Forums News will update this story if further information becomes available.
