London bus drivers announce fresh strikes over ‘extreme heat’ working conditions

Passengers have been warned of major disruption to bus journeys over the coming months as drivers are set to walk out over a heatwave row.

Bus services in North London and Essex could be thrown into chaos when over 1,500 Arriva drivers go on strike across several days in August, September and October.

Unite the union announced the drivers’ strike today after a row over working conditions in hot weather which has gripped the capital throughout the summer.

The union, which represents thousands of bus drivers, accused Arriva North London, a TfL contractor, of failing to act on complaints about conditions.

Some drivers suffered heat stroke and dehydration while working during the recent heatwaves, which saw temperatures hover close to 40C.

Arriva insists it is investing in both short and long-term measures to help drivers, including cab upgrades and air conditioning.

When will the strike take place?

The strikes are planned across the following dates:

• August 14 -15, August 18 – 21, August 25 – 28

• September 4 – 5, September 7 – 8, September 18 – 19, and September 21 – 22
• October 2 – 3, October 5 – 6, October 16 – 17, October 19 – 20

Some of the walkouts will happen at the same time as planned closures on the Piccadilly line this month and in September.

While the affected bus routes have not been named yet, the bus garages involved in the action include Barking, Edmonton, Enfield, Grays, Palmers Green, Stamford Hill, Tottenham and Wood Green.

Why are bus drivers striking?

The dispute boils down to the conditions inside buses, many of which have reached unbearable temperatures for passengers and drivers during the recent extreme heatwaves.

Hot weather conditions can increase fatigue for drivers, some of whom have experienced heat exhaustion, heat stroke and dehydration this summer, Unite said.

Most London buses are fitted with air cooling rather than more effective air conditioning systems.

Unite said the cooling system only reduces the temperature by a couple of degrees, and cab temperatures reached 40 degrees during the latest hot spells.

The London mayor Sadiq Khan has said drivers should not be working in conditions that are too hot or unsafe.

Speaking to LBC in June, he said: ‘Let me speak directly to bus drivers – if your cabin is too hot, I’ve given TFL permission, and told the bus operators, you must not be driving that bus.’

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: ‘Time and time again drivers have complained to Arriva North London about working in dangerous conditions but the company has failed to act which is completely unacceptable.

‘A profitable company such as Arriva could easily invest in improving conditions for its drivers and protecting the general public but is instead prioritising greed. We will back our members all the way in this dispute.’

Fatigued bus drivers have raised the alarm over a ‘dangerous’ epidemic behind the wheel, citing shift patterns and pressure.

Reaction after bus strike announcement

Wasim Mohammed, Arriva London managing director, told Metro: ‘We take the welfare of our drivers seriously and understand the impact of this extreme weather on them.

‘We are working closely with Transport for London to support both our colleagues and customers during these hot spells. We’ve introduced short-term measures to protect drivers, and we’re investing in longer-term fixes, including cab air conditioning upgrades and our ongoing investment in new fleet.

‘We remain ready to sit down with Unite at any time to discuss these important issues and find a resolution that avoids both strike action and the disruption it would cause to customers.’

A spokesperson for TfL said the strike action is expected to hit local bus routes in north and some central London areas.

However, the majority of the capital’s bus network will operate as planned on the strike days, they said.

Some routes could be busier than usual and passengers should plan ahead and allow extra time for journes.

‘We encourage both parties to find a solution to this dispute and we’re sorry for any disruption to people’s journeys,’ TfL added.

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