All aboard the people’s bus

Unite has welcomed plans by Transport for London (TfL) to launch a publicly-owned bus company in late 2027, and are “determined to make sure Buses for London is a success, capable of winning more routes and growing its network.”

Unite also expects the new company to “lead the way in workers’ pay, terms and conditions and treatment.”

Under Buses for London route 6, which goes between Willesden and Victoria station, will be the first publicly-owned service to run before four further routes transfer into the operation in 2028. Buses for London’s first operational base will be at Park Royal Depot in West London.

Unite has worked with TfL and mayor Sadiq Khan’s office to achieve this decision, which the union believes should be the first step towards a fully public bus service in London.

The union believes bringing London buses, the most used form of public transport in the city, back into public ownership presents an important opportunity to improve jobs, pay and conditions for bus workers in London as well as provide a better service for the general public.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite has long been calling for London’s bus services to be returned to public ownership. Outsourcing to private companies hasn’t worked well for workers or passengers.

“For too long bus workers have been subjected to intolerable working conditions and passengers have experienced worsening services while bus firms and their shareholders rake in huge profits. Today’s news is a positive step, Unite will now be doing everything possible to ensure that Buses for London provides well-paid, unionised jobs with excellent conditions.”

Currently, private firms submit bids to TfL to run franchised services. These contracts generally run for seven years and provide the bus operators with a set income that is performance dependent.

At present, TfL contracts bus services to eight of these private operators across almost 700 routes. However, City Hall is spending almost £1.2 billion a year subsidising London’s fleets due to pressures such as soaring costs and slower speeds leading to a decline in passenger numbers.

Unite national officer for passenger transport Wayne King said: “Unite has been heavily involved in the plans for Buses for London and we have long backed public ownership of bus services. This is only the beginning. We’re determined to make sure Buses for London is a success, capable of winning more routes and growing its network. We also expect it to lead the way in workers’ pay, terms and conditions and treatment and will hold TfL and the mayor to account on this.

“While this is an important step forward for London’s bus network, there are still issues in London buses generally that need to be resolved. we will not stop until all our members are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve for keeping the capital moving.”

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’m excited to announce ‘Buses for London’, a publicly owned London bus company. TfL and OPDC will join forces in this innovative new partnership to establish the capital’s first publicly owned bus operating company. London’s iconic red buses are a vital lifeline for many people, which I’m committed to supporting – and sometimes that means taking bold new approaches, so that our world-leading transport network can deliver even more for all those who rely on it. 

“This is an opportunity to really reimagine our bus network so that it provides better value for money, supports our climate goals, makes our roads safer, and overall just works better for passengers and drivers alike. I look forward to seeing Buses for London build on the success of our world-leading bus network as we continue to create a greener, fairer, more prosperous city for everyone.” 

Unite has recently negotiated improved working conditions for bus drivers across London in a groundbreaking deal that will see air conditioning installed in all the capital’s buses and tackle driver fatigue. 

Fatigue and working temperatures for bus drivers has been a growing issue as heatwaves become more commonplace and was raised at TUC Congress this year by Cardiff bus driver Marie Dickenson. 

By Keith Hatch