Concerns about fatigue, access to basic facilities and working conditions for London bus drivers have been raised repeatedly over more than a decade, with campaigners warning that long-standing issues are now escalating into industrial action.
Drivers and campaign groups said problems linked to long shifts, limited access to toilets and ongoing fatigue are still being reported, despite multiple investigations and safety reviews across the capital’s transport network.
The concerns have resurfaced following recent reports of drivers falling asleep at the wheel and being forced to use bottles or jars when facilities are not available during duties.
Long-running concerns raised again
Campaigners said the issues have been documented for years, including in London Assembly questions, academic research and formal safety investigations dating back to at least 2014.
Dylan Carroll, from London Bus Forums News, a transport campaign group and industry forum, told HRreview that fatigue had been a consistent concern raised by drivers over many years and had featured in major reviews, including a London Assembly investigation and research commissioned from Loughborough University.
He said drivers were still reporting similar conditions today. “That is not a minor welfare issue. It is a basic dignity, health and safety issue, and it also has obvious implications for passenger and road safety,” he said.
Carroll said the persistence of the issue raised questions about whether existing safeguards were working. “The problem is not that concerns have never been raised. The problem is that they have been raised repeatedly for well over a decade and drivers are still describing the same unsafe and degrading conditions,” he said.
Fatigue and facilities remain key concerns
Campaigners said fatigue remains one of the most serious risks facing drivers, with reports of long duties and insufficient recovery time continuing to surface.
They also pointed to ongoing concerns about access to toilet facilities, with claims that some routes still lack provision at one end of the journey, leaving drivers without basic welfare support during shifts.
Carroll said drivers were continuing to report working while extremely fatigued and without access to facilities when needed, describing this as a fundamental issue of dignity at work.
Responsibility split across system
Responsibility for driver welfare sits across both Transport for London (TfL) and private bus operators, creating a system where accountability can be divided.
Operators are responsible for day-to-day management, including rotas, schedules and access to facilities, while TfL sets the broader operating and contractual framework.
Carroll said both sides must take responsibility for ensuring safe and acceptable conditions, warning that problems would persist if the system allowed unrealistic schedules or weak enforcement of standards.
The concerns are now beginning to translate into industrial action.
Around 300 drivers at Bow Bus Garage took strike action from Thursday 19 March to Monday 23 March over unsafe working conditions, including fatigue-related concerns. Further strike dates are expected on Friday 17 April, Friday 24 April and Friday 15 May, although the dates have yet to be formally confirmed.
Carroll said the action reflected growing frustration among drivers who felt the issues had not been resolved despite years of warnings. He said the situation had moved beyond isolated complaints and was now resulting in coordinated action on the ground.
TfL points to existing standards
Transport for London did not directly address specific questions from HRreview about the issues, instead referring to existing safety research and guidance on its website.
A spokesperson pointed to published material on bus safety and the organisation’s Bus Safety Standard, which includes measures related to driver welfare. “An update to this Bus Safety Standard is currently being worked (on) which is being launched later this year,” spokesperson Hayley Chow said.
Chow did not address claims about ongoing fatigue, access to toilet facilities or reports of drivers falling asleep at the wheel.
Safety and accountability in focus
The situation raises wider questions about how organisations manage fatigue and ensure access to basic facilities in safety-critical roles.
Experts say it shows the importance of clear accountability, effective oversight and systems that allow staff to raise concerns before they escalate.
With industrial action under way and long-standing concerns continuing to surface, attention is likely to remain on whether existing measures are sufficient to protect both drivers and the public.
William Furney is a Managing Editor at Black and White Trading Ltd based in Kingston upon Hull, UK. He is a prolific author and contributor at Workplace Wellbeing Professional, with over 127 published posts covering HR, employee engagement, and workplace wellbeing topics. His writing focuses on contemporary employment issues including pension schemes, employee health, financial struggles affecting workers, and broader workplace trends.
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
