TfL urged to cover cost of air con upgrades for London bus fleet

The issue of overheating buses has become a hot political issue this summer amid successive heatwaves and a series of strikes, reports Kumail Jaffer, Local Democracy Reporter

Bus drivers working for Arriva are striking this week — Bus drivers working for Arriva are striking again this week

Transport for London (TfL) must shoulder the “massive cost” of making conditions bearable for the capital’s long-suffering bus drivers, a London Assembly member has said.

Thomas Turrell, who is Conservative transport spokesperson at City Hall, said the safety of both staff and commuters was dependent on officials investing in the comfort of bus operators. This summer, London’s drivers have worked long hours in scorching conditions, sometimes with poor cooling facilities inside their cabin.

They also face unforgiving schedules which can lead to working 13 consecutive days, as well as a lack of adequate toilet facilities along some routes.

Testimonies from drivers – thousands of whom are striking this week over working conditions – have put pressure on TfL and Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan to drive up standards.

There are also strikes taking place this week, with more scheduled, as bus drivers employed by Arriva North London take industrial action over the issue of overheating cabs.

Turrell admitted this may stretch an already tight budget even further – but said officials must “find the money” to treat drivers “humanely”.

“It’s absolutely horrifying – some of the experiences I’ve heard from bus drivers about the conditions that they’re working in, the fact that these cabs are heating up so much.

“It’s absolutely vital that we ensure that our bus drivers are working in safe conditions. We just need to invest in our transport system – we need to make sure it’s fit for purpose now, not in ten years.”

Trade union Unite say cabin temperatures can often exceed 40 degrees on London buses during heatwaves, as glass windows trap heat and create a greenhouse effect.

In addition, some models of buses on the capital’s roads are only equipped with less effective air cooling systems which do little to reduce temperatures.

“Realistically speaking, we’re looking at a massive cost to make these cabs fit for purpose,” Turrell added.

“It’s really important that we find the money so that drivers aren’t being left fatigued, aren’t being left distracted by these unsafe conditions.

“It’s just completely unsafe to be asking drivers in this heat, you know, the hottest summer on record, to be in these basic glass cabs, just working in greenhouses all day without proper ventilation.”

In June, Khan said he gave TfL permission to instruct operators not to penalise drivers who refuse to start their shift if their cabin is too hot. However, some drivers say their bosses have not listened to this.

He said the consequences of underinvestment could be devastating for the safety of drivers, passengers and pedestrians.

Drivers who are pushed to their limit say they are at a higher risk of crashing, while Unite says “long shifts in the heat can slow drivers’ responses, diminish concentration, as well as cause dizziness and an increased chance of fainting at the wheel”.

“These are massive vehicles at the end of the day, and if drivers aren’t able to properly pay attention because they’re fatigued because of overheating, then actually that—that puts members of the public in danger,” Turrell said.

“We’ve got to make sure that bus drivers can operate safely in London, both for their own safety and the safety of people in the nearby area.”

TfL said they are working closely with bus operators and Unite the Union, including convening a heat taskforce, to “help protect drivers and keep London’s bus network running safely during periods of extreme heat”.

The key aim of the taskforce is to improve drivers’ working conditions, while they will also “assess the feasibility of retrofitting drivers’ cabs in older buses with new air conditioning systems and to assess what other solutions may help mitigate temperatures during hot weather”.

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