London bus drivers demand better conditions amid heatwave and TfL inaction

MyLondon has launched the “Back Our Bus Drivers” campaign, urging Mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport for London (TfL) to adopt a "Bill of Rights" for bus operators. The campaign cites drivers working in cabs reaching 43 °C, lack of toilet facilities, forced overtime and pay docked for refusing to operate buses without air‑conditioning.

Mayor Khan previously said drivers could refuse to work in overheated vehicles, but many, such as former driver Antonia Pugh‑Thomas, report being compelled to continue service. Pugh‑Thomas resigned after being told to drive a bus with a broken cooling system, describing conditions as “hotter than the Sahara”. TfL’s bus director Lorna Murphy dismissed the proposed Bill of Rights as unnecessary, claiming existing employment contracts already cover safety.

Campaign leaders, including MyLondon executive editor Chris Ballinger, argue that drivers’ safety and passenger safety are at risk and call for guaranteed access to clean toilets, protection for reporting safety concerns, reliable cabin cooling, safe work schedules and proper rest breaks.