Safety concerns put Londoners off buses, say Tories

Four in ten Londoners have “felt worried” about safety while using the entire transport network, according to a TfL study (Collected Photo)

Londoners are being put off using buses because of concerns about anti-social behaviour, according to the Conservative Party.

Passenger data from Transport for London (TfL) shows bus demand in the capital fell 1.5% last year and is down 22.8% from its peak in 2015.

According to a TfL study, the most cited incidents on the bus network included youth and school-related anti-social behaviour, threatening behaviour and language of others, and passengers pushing and shoving each other.

Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden said any doubts about taking the bus were “compounded by the everyday reality of anti-social behaviour”.

Holden’s comments were made in an essay for the Conservative Environment Network (CEN).

He added: “To raise standards and renew public faith in the safe, comfortable journeys on which bus users should be able to rely, there must be genuine enforcement both at bus stops and onboard.”

A TfL survey published last year found that almost four in ten people using London’s transport network as a whole had “felt worried” about safety, while nearly one in ten were deterred from travelling because of a concerning incident they had experienced.

The CEN report recommends expanding CCTV both onboard buses and at bus stops across the TfL network, alongside “visible staff patrols” with enhanced powers to deal with criminals, similar to those used on the rail network.

Isabel Goodwin, head of outreach for CEN, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Anti-social behaviour continues to be a major barrier for Londoners who want to utilise this vital, clean form of transport.

“To prevent permanent reputational damage for London’s bus infrastructure, Sadiq Khan needs to implement bold policies that make passengers feel safe.”

Siwan Hayward, TfL’s director of security, policing and enforcement, said all London buses and bus stations had CCTV, and trials of CCTV at selected bus stops across the capital were ongoing.

She added: “London’s bus network is also patrolled by TfL’s 300-strong transport support and enforcement operational officers, who provide a visible and reassuring presence while tackling fare evasion and antisocial behaviour such as drinking and vaping.

“A further 100 officers are being recruited this year to help keep the night bus network safe.”

The mayor’s office has been contacted for further comment.