Bus Industry Insights – Analysis and Commentary on Bus Safety, Transport Policy and Governance

Violence and abuse against public transport workers must never be treated as part of the job. That is why I recently wrote to Michael Payne MP about the need for stronger protections for frontline transport workers. His response was constructive and welcome. He recognised that violence and abuse against public transport workers is completely unacceptable, referred to proposed mandatory training for bus workers through the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill, highlighted the role of Body Worn Video, and acknowledged the calls for a specific offence covering public transport workers. That matters. But the campaign cannot stop there. Retail workers are rightly being considered for specific legal protection. Public transport workers deserve the same seriousness. Bus drivers, rail workers, station staff, revenue staff, cleaners, catering grades, maritime workers, guards, conductors, controllers, fleet staff, depot staff and all frontline transport workers keep communities moving. They do so w...

There are moments in a campaign when something shifts. Not everything changes. Not enough changes. Not yet. But something moves. A door opens. A line is crossed. A sentence is spoken publicly that cannot easily be put back in the box. That is what has happened with bus driver heat safety. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has now publicly said that if a London bus driver’s cab or bus is too hot, they should stop and should not be penalised. That matters. It matters not because politicians suddenly become heroes. It matters not because any mayor, minister, operator, authority or institution should now be allowed to rewrite history and take full credit for a position that drivers and campaigners have been fighting for over many years. It matters because the principle has now been said out loud. A bus driver should not continue driving if excessive heat makes it unsafe. A bus driver should not be penalised for protecting their own safety and the safety of passengers. That ...

One thing that has really struck me over the last couple of years is the quality of young members coming through our union. I have had the privilege of attending the RMT AGM over the last two years, meeting members from across grades, sectors and regions, and seeing first-hand the amount of talent, commitment and passion that exists in this union. Some of the young members I have met have been absolutely tremendous. Sharp, political, committed, thoughtful, confident and determined to make a difference. That gives me real hope. I recently watched Sarah, the RMT Young Members’ Conference Secretary, talking about the young members’ course that runs while the AGM is in session. That is exactly the kind of thing we need more of. Young members getting workshops. Young members hearing from first-time speakers. Young members being able to sit at the back of the AGM and listen to proceedings. Young members seeing how the union actually works in practice. Not just reading about it. ...

Yesterday, Thursday 25 June 2026, the RMT Annual General Meeting unanimously passed an emergency resolution on bus driver heat safety, cab temperatures and national standards. I submitted the motion because I genuinely believe this issue has now reached the point where it can no longer be treated as seasonal discomfort, bad luck, or something drivers are simply expected to endure. It is a safety issue. It is a welfare issue. It is a public safety issue. And it is getting worse. The resolution was deliberately bus-specific. I am a bus driver. I come from a bus branch. The evidence I have gathered comes from bus drivers, bus cabs, bus routes, bus operators and bus workplaces. It was not written to overstate the position in other transport sectors. It was written because bus drivers are being exposed to extreme cab temperatures while operating large passenger vehicles in live traffic, carrying members of the public, often in vehicles that were never designed for the climate condit...

As more documents emerge through Freedom of Information requests concerning changes to bus services in Thurrock, one thing is becoming increasingly clear. The reality of local bus networks is far more complicated than a simple distinction between "commercial operators" and "the council". The original issue was straightforward enough. Following the withdrawal of financial support from Amazon, concerns were raised about reductions to early morning and evening services on routes 22 and 73 serving West Thurrock, Lakeside and surrounding communities. Initial explanations suggested that these were essentially commercial decisions made by Ensign Bus, with Thurrock Council stepping in where possible to minimise the impact through Bus Service Improvement Plan and Local Authority Bus Grant funding. However, documents disclosed since then paint a much richer and more nuanced picture. Correspondence shows extensive discussions between the operator and the Council regarding: • p...

Transport is not short of plans. We have strategies. We have visions. We have consultations. We have targets. We have frameworks. We have action plans. We have guidance documents. What we often struggle with is turning those words into reality. And perhaps that, more than anything else, is the biggest challenge facing transport. Plans Are The Easy Part Whether we are talking about active travel, buses, road safety, decarbonisation, accessibility or integrated mobility, there is remarkably little disagreement about what good looks like. Safer streets. Reliable public transport. Accessible networks. Healthier communities. Reduced emissions. Stronger safety cultures. Better integration between modes. Most people agree with those ambitions. The problem starts when aspirations have to become decisions. Because implementation requires something strategies do not. Priorities. Resources. Leadership. Political courage. And sometimes difficult conversations. Writing ...

Reflections on persistence, inspiration and why some things are worth fighting for Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are my own and are written in a personal capacity. They do not necessarily represent the views of the RMT or any other organisation unless explicitly stated. Sometimes the most interesting stories in transport are not about vehicles, technology or timetables. They are about people. People who refuse to let something go. People who experience tragedy or injustice and decide that others should not have to endure the same thing. People who refuse to accept that "nothing can be done". And people whose ideas are often ahead of their time. This is one such story. But it is also, in many ways, my own. A Life Changed In An Instant Many people involved in transport policy and bus safety will know the story of my friend Tom Kearney. In December 2009, Tom was critically injured by a Transport for London contracted bus on Oxford Street. Whilst r...

By Lee Odams Bus driver, transport safety campaigner and RMT lay representative Writing in a personal capacity Disclaimer: This article is written in a personal capacity. The views expressed are my own and do not necessarily represent the official position of RMT, my employer, or any other organisation unless explicitly stated. There are moments in any campaign when an issue moves from being seen as an individual complaint to something much wider. The issue of excessive heat in bus driver cabs has now reached that point. For too long, bus drivers have raised concerns about dangerously hot cab conditions during periods of extreme weather, only for the issue to be treated as if it is simply about comfort. It is not. This is about driver welfare, passenger safety and wider public safety. Bus drivers are operating large public service vehicles, often through busy urban environments, in enclosed cab spaces that can become extremely hot during heatwaves. Many drivers have reporte...