Unite, the UK's leading union, has criticised Transport for London's schemes for tackling bus driver fatigue.

In 2019, following the publication of a report into London bus driver fatigue by Loughborough University, TfL made £500,000 available to bus companies for the running of a 'fatigue, health and wellbeing bus safety innovation challenge'.

A Freedom of Information request found this money was spent on 10 initiatives, eight of which were related to fatigue and all the projects have now been rolled out into depots or on buses. However, none of them go anywhere near far enough to solving the major problem of bus driver fatigue.

The schemes include Compass, which provides 'emotional support' on driver wellbeing, videos for drivers to watch on managing their health and online educational courses on fatigue.

Meanwhile, bus company Metroline placed two ‘Rest Space’ sleep pods in its Willesden depot, which currently retail for over £10,000 per pod. These resemble a cramped cupboard which locks from the outside and has one flat pillow inside it and are now used for storage as drivers refused to enter them.

Meanwhile, Tenshi Senseye - eye-scanning fatigue detection technology which would vibrate a seat if it found drivers to be fatigued was put in place but has been removed from buses post Covid.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "These initiatives are insulting. Bus drivers are being overworked to the point of extreme fatigue by the bus companies. Making them watch videos on wellbeing or take a nap in a cupboard in their depot won’t cure the problem.

 "Fatigue is very serious and is caused by long hours, terrible shift patterns and the poor workplace conditions experienced by bus workers every day. It is time this issue was treated with the importance it deserves. Anything less will not be accepted."

A recent Unite survey found a third of bus drivers said the situation with fatigue had become ‘much worse’ since 2019, proving TfL's interventions have done very little to help.

Not only that, but they put the onus on bus drivers to manage fatigue, rather than tackling the root causes behind it such as drivers not having enough rest time between shifts, scheduling problems meaning they have to do overtime to finish journeys while also being disciplined by management if they admit they are fatigued, and poor welfare facilities. 

Unite regional officer Nadine Edwards said: "Simply put, TfL's response was pathetic. It is unsurprising that bus drivers have told us the problems with fatigue have become worse when the initiatives put in place essentially blamed workers rather than the bus companies who created the issue in the first place.

"TfL and Sadiq Khan must protect drivers and the general public. It is only by implementing Unite's demands that the issue of fatigue will be properly dealt with."

Ends

Notes to editors 

Unite recently launched its Fight Fatigue Now campaign, which is calling on TfL, London mayor Sadiq Khan and employers to act on the issue meaningfully.

Unite’s demands include:

· Introduce fatigue management into the TfL buses, for example stop disciplining drivers for fatigue, and agreements for drivers who currently have to drive buses in heatwaves with no air-con.

· Establish consistency across scheduling and rosters, such as a minimum of 12-hour breaks between duties and consistent start times to combat fatigue.

· Improve rest, toilet and welfare facilities. Unite's poll found 52 per cent of London bus drivers had poor facilities at work, and some drivers still have breaks by the side of the road.

For media enquiries ONLY please contact Unite press officer Natasha Wynarczyk on 07970081524

Email: natasha.wynarczyk@unitetheunion.org