Transport for London (TfL) has today announced a new Bus Safety Standard (BSS) with the aim of delivering the Mayor’s target of no-one being killed on or by a London bus by 2030. It includes a range of measures which all bus operators will have to adopt by 2024.
In response, Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM, Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee said:
“We welcome TfL’s announcement of a new Bus Safety Standard in a bid to make Londoners’ journeys on buses safer. However, these measures simply do not go far enough.
“These proposals TfL have put forward are not only a year late but they only apply to new buses.
“In July 2016, TfL promised that the BSS would be introduced to bus contracts from December 2017. We are now at the end of 2018 and being told that only new buses will meet the BSS by some time next year.
“This means the vast majority of London’s bus fleet will still be on the road and will not be up to the Bus Safety Standard.
“TfL’s own data shows there is a 13% increase in the number of pedestrians being hit by a bus and an 11% increase on those being injured while aboard a bus. All this is on the backdrop of falling numbers of passengers using buses, so these statistics are alarming. There is clearly a pressing need for action right now beyond technological enhancement in the future.
“TfL should set safety targets for bus operators. We suggest the best way to do this is to integrate safety targets in the contract performance target structure as soon as possible.
“We recognise how crucial technology is to improving bus safety in the capital and that is why today the London Assembly Transport Committee is renewing its call for TfL and the Mayor to ensure there are no further delays to the introduction of this technology but most of all to roll out the BSS to the whole bus fleet in London.
“Nothing is more important than keeping Londoners safe in this great city of ours especially when we are using public transport. But TfL must prevent this from being a lottery. All passengers at all times should be assured their bus is safe enough to get on - not just the ones who are lucky enough to get on a new one”.
Notes to editors
- Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM, Chair of the Transport Committee, is available for interview – see contact details below.
- London Assembly Transport Committee.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For media enquiries, please contact Funmi Olutoye on 020 7084 2713. For out of hours media enquiries, call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the London Assembly duty press officer. Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit on 020 7983 4100.