Mayor rejects bus driver rights, pledges toilets and air conditioning
Sadiq Khan refused to enshrine basic rights in operator contracts but committed to facility upgrades by May 2027.
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Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has refused to establish basic rights for bus drivers within Transport for London’s (TfL) contracts with its operators. The Mayor stated that a formal Bill of Rights could become outdated quickly and that City Hall must continually adapt its approach to best support bus drivers. This decision comes as TfL committed to installing toilets on all its bus routes and retrofitting air conditioning in all driver cabins by May 2027.
The London Assembly had unanimously backed a Bus Driver Bill of Rights, proposed by Keith Prince, which sought to enshrine 12 demands. While TfL has agreed to three of these, including the provision of toilets and air conditioning, the Mayor has rejected the full proposal. Other demands not yet agreed include the right to safe work schedules without forced overtime or pay loss, and adequate rest breaks during the working day.
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Mayor's reasoning and further investment
Speaking in Kilburn, North West London, Sir Sadiq Khan told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that City Hall needs to find new ways to assist bus drivers rather than relying on fixed agreements that could soon be obsolete. He highlighted the need to adapt to changing conditions, such as increased summer temperatures affecting driver cabs. The Mayor also stated that City Hall works with trade unions to evolve and find new methods to support drivers, which he believes ultimately improves passenger service.
For a Mayor who so often reminds Londoners that he is the son of a bus driver, Sadiq Khan’s dismissal of firm protections as being ‘stuck in stone’ is astonishing. My Bus Drivers’ Bill of Rights includes proper rest breaks, safe schedules, clean welfare facilities and working air cooling, which was unanimously backed by the whole London Assembly. Drivers deserve proper standards, not another excuse from the Mayor who has had 10 years to ensure bus drivers are given the rights they deserve.
Keith Prince, proposer of the Bus Driver Bill of Rights
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The Mayor also announced a further £6 million investment for an additional 53 toilets for bus drivers. He noted that over the past decade of his mayoralty, more than £24 million has been invested in over 150 toilets for drivers, describing them as a basic human right. Sir Sadiq also suggested that a shift towards a publicly owned bus company operated by TfL, rather than the current franchise model, could establish benchmarks for basic standards that other operators might aspire to.
Future of TfL bus operations
However, the Mayor cautioned that TfL and City Hall are not yet in a position to confirm if a transition to a publicly owned bus company is feasible. The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands that TfL is commencing feasibility studies with bus operators this week to explore this potential change.
Questions this report answers
+What has Sadiq Khan decided regarding bus driver rights?
Mayor Sadiq Khan has rejected calls to establish a formal Bus Driver Bill of Rights within Transport for London's contracts with bus operators. He believes such a document could quickly become outdated and prefers a more adaptable approach to improving driver conditions.
+What improvements are planned for bus driver facilities?
Transport for London has pledged to install toilets on all bus routes and retrofit air conditioning in all bus driver cabins by May 2027. An additional £6 million has been allocated for 53 new toilets.
+Will there be a publicly owned TfL bus company?
The Mayor has suggested that a publicly owned bus company could set new standards for driver conditions. Transport for London is currently conducting feasibility studies with operators to assess whether this transformation is possible.
WE FILE
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The London Travel Desk assembled this report from the outlets listed below. Language-model drafting is reviewed under human editorial supervision, with scoring notes and corrections kept visible.