The London Assembly Transport Committee has
today called for Transport for London (TfL) and
bus operators to change the culture around self-reporting and
ensure that fatigue is taken seriously, to protect drivers and
customers.
The Committee carried out an investigation on
the issue of transport safety, speaking with bus safety experts,
TfL, Unions and transport safety organisations.
More work must be done to protect bus drivers from fatigue, with
evidence over many years suggesting that fatigue among London bus
drivers is a chronic and widespread issue.[1]
Research by Loughborough University and the Swedish National Road
and Transport Institute in May 2019 found that one-in-six London
bus drivers reported falling asleep at the wheel within the
previous year.[2]
During the Committee’s investigation, it heard from Professor
Andrew Morris who was involved in this research. Professor Morris
told the Committee, “We did find that fatigue was a
problem for bus drivers. In fact, we found 21 percent of drivers
are fighting sleep at least three times per week and insufficient
sleep before shifts and changing shift patterns,
etc.”
Guests told the Committee that pressure on bus drivers to meet
time schedules adds stress and potentially increases the risk of
collisions. Tom Kearney explained that there is a systemic issue
around targets being based around punctuality, saying
“If you incentivise time and pay for time, safety
will suffer.”[3]
The Mayor's Transport Strategy includes a Vison Zero goal for
London, setting an overall target of zero deaths and serious
injuries on London’s transport network by 2041.
It also sets targets for nobody to be killed on or by a London
bus by 2030, and for no fatalities on the Underground by 2024. An
interim target for a 70 per cent reduction in people killed or
seriously injured in, or by, London buses by 2022 was not met.
Following this investigation, the Committee has
today published its report – ‘Bus, tram and
tube safety in London’ – which has 13
recommendations for the Mayor and TfL, including:
- TfL and bus operators should change the culture around
self-reporting and ensure that fatigue is taken seriously. TfL
should:
-
- Share the lessons learned from its pan-TfL Fatigue
Working Group and Oversight Group.
- Develop an action plan by September 2024 on how it will
implement those lessons from trams (and other modes)
systematically across bus operators.
- Commission new research on shift lengths, patterns and
rotas, including data on bus drivers’ experiences of
investment such as rest facilities and toilets.
- The Mayor should commission an Independent Safety Risk
Assessment for TfL from a reputable independent authority which
would investigate:
-
- The role and punctuality incentives in bus contracts,
with emphasis on the stressful conditions these incentives
might create for Bus Drivers, including those which cause
fatigue.
- The time pressures that Bus Drivers face.
- Analysis of Speed Compliance Tool data.
- In response to this report, TfL should provide a summary
report detailing its performance against vision zero so far, and
its plans for how it will meet future targets.
AM, Chairman of the
London Assembly Transport Committee, said:
“Vision Zero is a key part of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy,
and keeping drivers and passengers safe must be a
priority.
“Through our investigation, we heard of the challenges
drivers are facing, with long hours and pressure to meet time
schedules, both of which add huge levels of stress to the
drivers. This could put them and passengers at risk.
“We have recent examples of where fatigue has caused death
and serious injuries through the Sandilands tram crash, where
fatigue was stated as a contributing factor.
“That is why our Committee has today called on TfL to
continue working to prevent and reduce fatigue within its
staff.
“These recommendations will help to reduce the number of
serious deaths and injuries on the transport network, and will
make London a safer place.”
Notes for editors:
- Fitness et al (2019) Bus Driver Fatigue Report by
Loughborough University for TfL:https://content.tfl.gov.uk/bus-driver-fatigue-report.pdf
- Ibid
- London Assembly Transport Committee, (Public Pack)Draft
Transport Committee Transcript - 7 November 2023 - Panel 1
Minutes Supplement for Transport Committee, 07/11/2023 10:00
(london.gov.uk), Tom Kearney, p7
- Please find the report attached.
