Lib Dems Call For Better Deal For London Bus Drivers

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 15th Oct 2002

Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Lynne Featherstone today backed London bus drivers taking part in the T&G union’s lobby of City Hall.

"Buses are the ‘front line’ in making congesting charging work - they are vital if we are to get the traffic reduction of 15% that the Mayor is hoping for. But it is not easy to recruit drivers when basic pay rates are only around £18,000 per year. There should be a move towards parity on wages with Tube drivers."

"Low pay is also to blame to a large extent the unacceptably high turnover in bus crew staff, though this is also partly due to a lack of protection against violent assaults. There is a need for a visible police presence."

"It costs several thousand pounds to train a bus driver - this is public money wasted if drivers leave the job after only a few months."