- Document date
- 23-03-2025
From: Kevin Mustafa
Subject: Urgent Concerns Regarding Bus Safety and Driver Fatigue
Date: 23 March 2025 at 10:31:17 GMT
To: Lorna Murphy - TfL Director of Buses <[email protected]>, Andy Lord - TfL Commissioner <[email protected]>
Cc: Tom Kearney, Neil Garratt <[email protected]>, Keith Prince <[email protected]>, Caroline Russell <[email protected]>, peter skinner <[email protected]>, Lorraine Bus Driver <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, James Rossi <[email protected]>, Michael Liebreich <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Dear Lorna , Andy
I am writing to formally raise serious concerns regarding ongoing safety issues within the London bus network, particularly related to unsafe buses and increasing levels of driver fatigue. These issues pose a direct threat to both passengers and drivers, and Transport for London (TfL) must take immediate action to address them.
Bus Safety Concerns
London bus drivers are consistently being asked to operate vehicles that are not fit for service. Reports of faulty brakes, malfunctioning speedometers, defective doors, and steering issues are regularly ignored or dismissed by operators. Drivers who refuse to take out unsafe buses under Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 are facing disciplinary action, creating a culture where safety is sacrificed for operational convenience.
TfL must enforce stricter compliance measures and hold operators accountable for putting unsafe buses on the road. A public transport system that prioritizes profit over safety is not acceptable.
Driver Fatigue and Its Dangers
Fatigue is another critical issue that is being ignored at an operational level. Long shifts, inadequate recovery time, and high-pressure scheduling mean that drivers are regularly behind the wheel while physically and mentally exhausted. Scientific research and real-world incidents confirm that fatigue is as dangerous as driving under the influence—yet TfL continues to allow scheduling practices that put drivers and passengers at risk.
We demand the following immediate actions:
1. A full, independent review of bus safety procedures, ensuring that vehicles with mechanical faults are not allowed on the road.
2. Stronger protections for drivers refusing unsafe buses, ensuring that they are not penalized for prioritizing safety.
3. A comprehensive fatigue management plan, including limits on excessive working hours and mandatory recovery time between shifts.
4. An urgent review of shift patterns and scheduling practices, to ensure they align with TfL’s duty of care towards its workforce.
TfL must recognize that bus safety and driver welfare are not negotiable. A failure to act will only lead to more incidents, more risk to passengers, and further damage to the reputation of London’s public transport system.
I request a formal response outlining TfL’s position on these issues and the steps being taken to address them. I look forward to your urgent attention to this matter.
Best regards,
Kevin Mustafa
London Bus Lead Safety Campaigner
Mob 07950257398
Bill of Rights Petition:
https://www.change.org/p/mayor-of-london-write-the-bus-drivers-bill-of-rights-into-bus-contracts-now
Source: https://saferoxfordstreet.blogspot.com/2025/03/urgent-concerns-regarding-bus-safety.html
Auto-imported from Tom Kearney’s blog.
Subject: Urgent Concerns Regarding Bus Safety and Driver Fatigue
Date: 23 March 2025 at 10:31:17 GMT
To: Lorna Murphy - TfL Director of Buses <[email protected]>, Andy Lord - TfL Commissioner <[email protected]>
Cc: Tom Kearney, Neil Garratt <[email protected]>, Keith Prince <[email protected]>, Caroline Russell <[email protected]>, peter skinner <[email protected]>, Lorraine Bus Driver <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, James Rossi <[email protected]>, Michael Liebreich <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Dear Lorna , Andy
I am writing to formally raise serious concerns regarding ongoing safety issues within the London bus network, particularly related to unsafe buses and increasing levels of driver fatigue. These issues pose a direct threat to both passengers and drivers, and Transport for London (TfL) must take immediate action to address them.
Bus Safety Concerns
London bus drivers are consistently being asked to operate vehicles that are not fit for service. Reports of faulty brakes, malfunctioning speedometers, defective doors, and steering issues are regularly ignored or dismissed by operators. Drivers who refuse to take out unsafe buses under Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 are facing disciplinary action, creating a culture where safety is sacrificed for operational convenience.
TfL must enforce stricter compliance measures and hold operators accountable for putting unsafe buses on the road. A public transport system that prioritizes profit over safety is not acceptable.
Driver Fatigue and Its Dangers
Fatigue is another critical issue that is being ignored at an operational level. Long shifts, inadequate recovery time, and high-pressure scheduling mean that drivers are regularly behind the wheel while physically and mentally exhausted. Scientific research and real-world incidents confirm that fatigue is as dangerous as driving under the influence—yet TfL continues to allow scheduling practices that put drivers and passengers at risk.
We demand the following immediate actions:
1. A full, independent review of bus safety procedures, ensuring that vehicles with mechanical faults are not allowed on the road.
2. Stronger protections for drivers refusing unsafe buses, ensuring that they are not penalized for prioritizing safety.
3. A comprehensive fatigue management plan, including limits on excessive working hours and mandatory recovery time between shifts.
4. An urgent review of shift patterns and scheduling practices, to ensure they align with TfL’s duty of care towards its workforce.
TfL must recognize that bus safety and driver welfare are not negotiable. A failure to act will only lead to more incidents, more risk to passengers, and further damage to the reputation of London’s public transport system.
I request a formal response outlining TfL’s position on these issues and the steps being taken to address them. I look forward to your urgent attention to this matter.
Best regards,
Kevin Mustafa
London Bus Lead Safety Campaigner
Mob 07950257398
Bill of Rights Petition:
https://www.change.org/p/mayor-of-london-write-the-bus-drivers-bill-of-rights-into-bus-contracts-now
Source: https://saferoxfordstreet.blogspot.com/2025/03/urgent-concerns-regarding-bus-safety.html
Auto-imported from Tom Kearney’s blog.