London mayor Boris Johnson and Transport for London (TfL) have launched a ‘world-leading programme’ to improve safety across the capital’s bus network.
TfL says London’s bus fleet is one of the safest in the world, but four people were killed in bus accidents in each of of the last four reported quarters.
The programme will:
- develop a ‘world leading’ bus safety standard for London;
- update TfL’s bus contracts over the next three months to include new safety incentives;
- provide a ‘UK-first’ incident support service for people affected by fatal or serious injuries;
- publish additional bus collision data and make data more accessible;
- provide greater transparency on bus collision investigations;
- provide a new safety training module to all 24,700 drivers in the capital.
Last month, London’s bus operators became the first in the UK to subscribe to the independent Confidential Incident Reporting and Analysis System (CIRAS).
Leon Daniels, TfL’s managing director of surface transport, said: ‘The capital’s bus network is very safe and we are determined to take action to make it even safer. The Bus Safety Programme will examine a range of improvements, from vehicle design to bus driver training, from giving more information to the public to provision of support to those affected by serious bus incidents.
'We will also provide more information about bus safety and the outcomes of investigations into the most serious incidents.’
Darren Johnson, Green Party member of the London Assembly, said: ‘I am delighted that following years of pressure from myself and campaigners the Mayor has now agreed new measures to make London buses safer.
'It was good news when the Mayor told me he planned to roll out confidential whistleblowing software on all buses and I’m equally pleased that Transport for London will now include safety incentives in bus contracts. That must mean an explicit focus on reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured by London buses.’
