Arriva group tops London’s 5-year bus crash deaths and injuries table since 2014

transport

Arriva tops London’s 5-year bus crash deaths & injuries table with 1,106 injuries since 2014 as GMB calls for Mayor of London to compel TfL and bus operators to adopt Bus Driver’s 'Bill of Rights’ and reform quality incentive contracts to make safety a priority

Since January 2014, an average of about 3 people per day have been injured—of which over 4 people per week have been killed or seriously injured—as the result of a collision involving a TfL-contracted Bus, says GMB London

A new study by GMB London of official data from Transport for London (TfL) for injuries resulting from collisions by outsourced bus operators in London shows that in the 5 years since 2014 a total of 4,942 people have been injured, of which 49 were killed and 1,068 were taken to hospital.

This has led GMB to call on the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to implement a London Bus Drivers ‘Bill of Rights’ and amend bus operator’s contracts to protect both drivers and pedestrians from bus collisions.

The study shows the number of collisions caused by each of the 24 bus operators contracted by TfL to service London’s many bus routes.

Buses owned and operated by Arriva (which owned by Germany’s national railway Deutsche Bahn) tops the list for total injuries arising from bus collisions. In the five years from 2014, collisions involving Arriva buses have produced 1,106 total injuries, including 10 fatal and 407 crash injuries requiring hospital attention.

Go-Ahead Group, with 1,019 total Bus Collisions injuries, including 11 fatal and 535 requiring hospital attendance, was second.

Stagecoach, with 991 Bus Collision injuries, including 7 fatalities and 320 requiring hospital attendance, and Metroline (owned by Singapore’s Comfort DelGro Group) with 867 Bus Collision Injuries, including 13 fatalities and 350 requiring hospital attendance, rounded out the Top 4 on the TfL Bus Crash Deaths and Injuries table for 2014-2018.

A previous study by the GMB revealed the City of Westminster as the London Borough with the highest number of injury-causing bus collisions, with 350 injuries between 2014 and 2018. [See notes to editors for previous GMB press releases]

See below for full table listing the number of injuries and types of injuries reported between 2014 and 2018.

GMB London Region is campaigning for the safe operation of TfL buses in London. This follows a resolution on bus safety and the public carried at the GMB Congress last year.

Tom Kearney, Founder of #LondonBusWatch and TfL Bus Crash Survivor:

"Last December marked the ninth anniversary of when an Arriva Route 73 Bendy Bus contracted by TfL struck the back of my head and my torso while I was at the edge of a crowded Oxford Street pedestrian crossing.  Because TfL, Arriva and the Police never bothered to contact me after I woke up from a Glasgow Coma Scale 3 coma in January 2010, I was compelled to investigate why I nearly died on 18 December 2009 all on my own.

“I have campaigned over these years for a safer public bus system and that can only happen when Bus Driver working conditions are improved AND TfL and its for-profit Bus Contractors are compelled to be transparent about and accountable for the operational safety performance of London’s contracted surface transport fleet."

Steve Garelick, GMB Regional Organiser said:

“GMB London are calling for decisive action from the top to change the inherited culture at Transport for London and to ensure the safe operation of buses by the outsourced private for-profit operators.

“Overall in the last 5 years 4,942 people have been injured in collisions by TfL buses. Since January 2014, an average of about 3 people per day have been injured (of which over 4 people per week have been killed or seriously injured) as the result of a collision involving a TfL-contracted Bus.

“The safe operation of buses by the outsourced operators must be made TfL's top priority. We have to see an end to the current position on the endless toll of people killed and injured due to bus collisions.

“Sadiq Khan has to get a grip on the problem he inherited from the past managers who designed the outsourced killing machine that TfL presides over. Nothing less than fundamental reform of the Bus System's contract performance incentives to include safety is acceptable.

“Safe operation of buses require drivers rested and with a safe system of work and well-maintained vehicles, all items clearly spelled out in the London Bus Drivers’ ‘Bill of Rights’ which was presented to the Mayors representative by protesting TfL Bus Drivers on 14 September 2017. [See notes to editors for 10-point bill of rights]

“LondonBusWatch are calling for everyone to get behind this Bill of Rights for bus drivers. We are asking for everyone to press Sadiq Khan to accept this ‘Bill of Rights’ and, as TfL Chair see the ‘Bill of Rights’ adopted by TfL’s contracted bus companies and its implementation closely monitored by TfL."

ENDS

Steve Garelick 07967 763980 or GMB London Press Office 07970 114762

Notes to Editors

Sources

TfL Bus Safety Data, quarterly reports.

Quarterly reports cover incidents reported to TfL by bus companies. Incidents are reported regardless of blame and severity.

TfL's classification of types of injuries evolved overtime and that after Q3 2014, "Injuries requiring hospital attendance" are counted with "Taken to Hospital – Reported Serious Injury or Severity Unknown" so we have the four types of classification as below

2] Previous GMB Press Release

1,062 people killed or seriously injured in London bus collisions since 2014 (28 February)