Last stop for 'dangerous' bus drivers
The London Assembly wants to make journeys safer.
BUS drivers who put their passengers at risk with "dangerous driving" are being targeted by a new investigation.
The London Assembly's Transport Committee is set to look at how it can make journey safer by making bus drivers improve their skills.
In 2004 there were a total of 6,751 complaints classified by London Buses Customer Services as "Poor/Dangerous Driving".
This category included complaints about the smoothness of the journey, late or dangerous braking, speeding, jumping' red lights, taking corners too quickly or dangerous overtaking.
In 2003 drivers were given the chance to attend a training course aimed at making sure passengers were give smoother journeys.
But despite the extra training, a report claims there is little difference between the standard of driving between those who have completed the course and those who have not.
The Transport Committee will ask London Buses, Bus Companies, LTUC, the Transport and General Workers Union and groups representing bus passengers for their views on how bad driving can be improved.
Every day over 6,500 buses carry around 6.25 million passengers on over 700 different routes; amounting to over 1.7 billion bus journeys.
About 30 companies provide bus services in London under contracts they have with Transport for London (TfL).
In 2002 TfL found that most of the safety targets for Surface Transport had been met, except in bus driving standards and the associated public injury rate.
A spokesman for the committee said: "A number of other positive measures are being rolled out such as work with the Driving Standards Agency to carry out driver quality assessments, reviews of standards and consistency of other training such as behavioural skills and delivering improved customer service.
"Despite these welcome improvements Assembly Members' correspondence indicates that the bus traveler still experiences some bad driving standards and subsequent injuries. Not all the companies handle the resulting complaints quickly and efficiently."
Only 6,751, not bad really
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