Bus companies with poor safety records will no longer be recommended for ‘bus operator of the year’ after Caroline Russell AM raised that the 2016 winner had a high number of fatalities and injuries from collisions.
Bus safety campaigner, Tom Kearney, brought this matter to Caroline’s attention.
Although TfL does not award the prize it does make recommendations to the London Transport Awards – the Mayor confirmed today that injuries from collisions will now be taken into consideration before any endorsements are made.
Caroline Russell said:
It is outrageous that a company with the worst record of collisions with people who were killed or injured should be eligible for an award.
Safety should be an absolute priority for any transport operator – and how safe they keep their passengers and staff should be an explicit factor in recognising any good work.
I’m extremely glad the Mayor has listened to my concerns and advised TfL to change their criteria for award recommendations to make sure they specifically look at injuries sustained in collisions with buses.
Notes to editors
Question to the Mayor, 2017/2191 Bus Operator of the Year Award
Thank you for your response to my question 2017/2071. Will you ensure from now on that the 'broad set of factors' Transport for London (TfL) bases its recommendations on includes 'injuries sustained in collisions with buses'?
Written response from the Mayor:
Yes, while TfL does consider safety as part of its awards recommendation, injuries sustained in collisions with buses will also now be among the criteria used.
Question to the Mayor 2017/2071 Bus operator of the year award
Transport for London (TfL) gave the 2016 Bus Operator of the Year award to Stagecoach, the operator with the highest number of fatalities resulting from collisions with its buses. Does this undermine TfL's public message about the importance it places on the operational safety performance of its contracted bus fleet? http://questions.london.gov.uk/QuestionSearch/searchclient/questions/question_293664