Tram and bus safety in London

Following investigations into the 2016 Sandilands tram derailment, the London Assembly Transport Committee has investigated tram and bus safety and made a series of recommendations to keep passengers and pedestrians safe.



In its report ‘Tram and Bus Safety in London: Progress and lessons learned on safety on the London transport network’, the London Assembly has called for a number of practical measures to improve safety.

The report found that:

• Crucial factors, identified by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, in the Sandilands tram derailment in November 2016 were the visibility of signs and driver fatigue.[3] It is imperative that appropriate signage is in place to guide adequate safety measures on the tramways, and that an urgent and concerted effort is taken to address fatigue.
• Safety features on tram rolling stock, are largely manufacturer-led and there is no industry-led standard determining what safety measures should be included.
• There is a risk to people walking and cycling in and around the tram network and this needs to be further explored by Transport for London (TfL).