Bus operators to develop safety improvements with new funding

Transport for London (TfL) has awarded a £500,000 pot to six bus operators to develop new ideas that will improve safety across London's bus network.

The successful bids from the TfL Bus Safety Innovation Fund were announced at the London Bus Safety Summit.

The summit brought together industry professionals focusing on safety culture as part of TfL's work to reduce the number of people seriously injured or killed on London's bus network.

Abellio, CT Plus, Go-Ahead, RATP, Tower Transit and Metroline were all awarded funding for their ideas for safety devices and to improve workplace behaviour.

The ideas included alarms to alert nearby pedestrians to approaching buses, sensors, acceleration limiters, psychometric testing and a joint project with London Cycling Campaign to introduce road user champions in depots.

The money will now be used to develop the winning ideas further. All the projects will run on a trial basis on selected routes starting from next year.

If the trials are successful they will be considered for introduction across the wider bus network following consultation with unions and staff.

Val Shawcross, deputy mayor fort transport, said: “We're committed to improving safety on London's roads and are working hard to improve the bus network.

“Innovative ideas from the operators have the potential to make a big difference to bus safety and we look forward to seeing how the trials progress.”