• Reference: 2024/3442
• Question by: Keith Prince
• Meeting date: 10 October 2024

In your response to Mayoral Question 2024/2872, you stated "Bus Operators work to a contractually set of mileage coding guidelines, with operators expected to code mileage losses which are within the operator's control as deductible." Please share any specific guidance TfL has issued to its bus contractors that clearly defines the circumstances under which the timing allowed for a bus driver toilet break is determined to be "within the operator's control" and that which is not. Does this guidance even exist? If not, please explain why.

• Reference: 2024/3441
• Question by: Neil Garratt
• Meeting date: 10 October 2024

In Mayoral Question 2023/1355 (March 2023) I asked you, as TfL Chair, "to commit to drafting and enforcing a “Code of Candour” for TfL and its contractors that – analogous to existing statutes that have applied to the NHS and its contractors for years: (1) sets out specific requirements that TfL and its contractors must follow when things go wrong with safety including immediately informing the public about the incident; (2) provides reasonable support to those affected; (3) compels TfL and its contractors to provide truthful information and an apology when things go wrong". After 11 months of no response...

• Reference: 2024/3440
• Question by: Neil Garratt
• Meeting date: 10 October 2024

During his Confirmation Hearing on 29 May 2024, your Deputy Mayor for Transport told the London Assembly "There are not many cities worldwide that take the kind of action we are, for example, working with drivers and the unions to ensure that we provide proper facilities for drivers to ensure that they are not fatigued....again, no other city is really doing this to the extent that we are." With the chilling testimony of London bus drivers found in the 21 September 2024 My London investigation entitled "Whistleblower London bus drivers ‘exhausted’ and ‘use faulty vehicles’ in ‘dangerous’ conditions", do you...

• Reference: 2024/3439
• Question by: Neil Garratt
• Meeting date: 10 October 2024

A cursory Vehicle Operating Licence search of a single TfL bus operator managing director on the DVSA website reveals, inter alia, that the same two people are serving as Transport Managers for at least 16 bus depots, which between them have at least 2050 buses and over 3000 London bus drivers. Following up on your response to Mayoral Question 2024/2888, does TfL have "robust processes" in place to monitor its bus operators to determine if their named Transport Managers are (a) competent to fulfil their safety critical role and (b) capable of doing their safety critical job covering, as with...

• Reference: 2024/3438
• Question by: Neil Garratt
• Meeting date: 10 October 2024

Published guidance from the DVSA clearly states the role of the ‘Transport Manager’ "as being responsible for things such as making sure that: drivers have a valid licence and your vehicles are taxed, have a valid MOT and are insured at all times, vehicles are properly maintained and fit and serviceable at all times, work is priced so that it can be done both legally and profitably, vehicles are loaded safely and not overloaded, and work is arranged so that drivers do not break drivers’ hours rules or have to speed”. Following up on your response to Mayoral Question 2024/2888...

• Reference: 2024/3437
• Question by: Neil Garratt
• Meeting date: 10 October 2024

A Companies House search of "Crown Sightseeing Services" confirms that one of its directors is, inter alia, also a director of 7 other bus operators, 6 of which are contracted to provide bus services to TfL. Following up on your response to Mayoral Question 2024/2888, does TfL also have a "robust process" for overseeing and acting to ensure that its bus contractors are not "overboarding" individuals so that it might be impossible for them to carry out their important governance and safety critical roles as directors of companies whose entire income is dependent on fulfilling TfL bus contracts?

• Reference: 2024/3436
• Question by: Neil Garratt
• Meeting date: 10 October 2024

On 13 September a pedestrian was seriously injured after being struck by, reportedly a "City Sightseeing and City Tour" bus at Waterloo Station. Does this bus tour operator have any links to any bus contractor providing public bus services to TfL? If so, will TfL be reporting it under that Bus Contractors' Quarterly Bus Safety Performance Data for Q3 2024?

• Reference: 2024/3435
• Question by: Neil Garratt
• Meeting date: 10 October 2024

Further to the issue raised in Mayoral Question 2024/2895, on 4 September, I questioned the TfL Commissioner Andy Lord about bus safety at Victoria Station and on the network that the record shows he responded "the overall number of fatalities on the bus network has continued to reduce year-on-year”. Since the total number of deaths from 2024's preventable bus safety incidents appear to have exceeded 2023's total by August, do you believe the TfL Commissioner has misled the London Assembly about TfL's declining bus safety performance?

• Reference: 2024/3434
• Question by: Neil Garratt
• Meeting date: 10 October 2024

How do you reconcile your responses to Mayoral Questions 2024/2893 and 2024/2238 with the horrific conditions suffered by bus drivers revealed in the 21 September My London investigation entitled "Whistleblower London bus drivers ‘exhausted’ and ‘use faulty vehicles’ in ‘dangerous’ conditions”?

• Reference: 2024/3433
• Question by: Neil Garratt
• Meeting date: 10 October 2024

In your response to Mayoral Question 2024/2892, you stated "There is not a specific toilet working group." What 'specific' working groups are there and when were they created?