The Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL) have launched a programme to drive major improvements in safety across London’s bus network.
The programme aims to bring together new technology, training, incentives, support, reporting and transparency across the network.
The six point programme will:
- Develop a heightened safety standard for London – including a range of new technologies such as collision avoidance systems, which utilise sensors to warn drivers of potential dangers and trigger automatic emergency braking systems and intelligent speed adaption;
- Update TfL’s bus contracts to include new safety incentives;
- Provide a UK-first incident support service for those affected by fatal or serious injuries. The service will be available to offer emotional and practical support and provide a single, named point of contact at TfL;
- Publish additional bus collision data and make it more accessible. From spring, TfL will publish additional bus collision data that will break the most serious collisions down by road user group;
- Provide greater transparency on bus collision investigations, setting out how fatal and serious injury collisions on the bus network are investigated and the processes that are followed by TfL; and
- Provide a new safety training module to all 24,700 drivers. By the end of 2016, bespoke ‘In the Zone’ training will have been delivered to all drivers in the capital, which aims to raise driver awareness of the risks on the road, whether that be as a driver of a vehicle, or as a vulnerable road user such as a pedestrian, cyclist or motorcyclist.
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.”
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson MP, said: “I’m proud that we have one of the safest bus networks in the world, but I’m determined to see it get even better. By creating this world-leading programme we will be placing an even greater focus on safety, making the most of the latest technology and bold initiatives to help keep passengers and vulnerable road users safe.”
