Since the number of Coronavirus cases in the UK are falling and lockdown measures are easing, TfL have drawn up plans to reinstate front door boarding to increase revenue, whilst also imposing limits on the number of passengers using the bus.
Extracts from the TfL press release
Analysis by UCL (University College London) has found that safety improvements made to screens by TfL has made it possible to return to front-door boarding along with collaborative work with UNITE and bus operators
London's buses are to begin returning to front-door boarding, with customers required to touch in with Oyster, contactless and concessionary cards, TfL has confirmed.
The move follows extensive work by a multidisciplinary team from UCL's Centre for Transport Studies and Department of Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering to assess the risks for drivers in their cabs and close work with bus operators and the UNITE union to develop improvements to the screens beside bus drivers.
The UCL analysis finds that the steps that TfL has taken - by adding a film layer to screens and sealing off gaps around the screen as a whole, including around the Oyster reader - substantially reduces the risk to drivers of contracting coronavirus from customers.
This is on top of the rigorous cleaning regime, which sees cabs and handrails, along with other regularly touched areas, treated with hospital-grade anti-viral disinfectant.
Rigorous cleaning
From Saturday 30 May, passengers will start to see signage on 124 bus routes instructing them to board using the front door and use their Oyster, contactless or concessionary cards.
Front-door boarding will be reinstated on further bus routes as soon as possible, and it is anticipated that all London buses will have returned to front-door boarding by mid-June.
Reverting to pre-pandemic arrangements will improve social distancing for customers entering or exiting the bus by reinstating the traditional flows on and off the bus, and while queuing at stops or stations, as well as giving TfL accurate information to ensure it is providing the service needed to enable safe travel for all.
To further ensure the safety of customers and bus drivers, new limits to the number of customers on board at any one time will be introduced. This will help customers to observe the national guidance to maintain a two-metre distance between them and others wherever possible.
Double-decker buses will be able to carry 20 customers. Single-decker buses, depending on the size of the bus, will carry between six and 10 customers. The driver will have discretion to allow more customers on board if they are travelling in households or groups.
Notes to editors
On Saturday 23 May, we started accepting payments across our bus services again. The introduction of front-door boarding and touching in will be a phased approach as we put social distancing measures in place to ensure the safety of both our customers and our drivers. We hope to have all London buses ready for front-door boarding by mid-June. Please check for bus boarding and payment updates before you travel
As of Saturday 30 May, all customers using the following bus services will be need to start boarding via the front doors and touching in again when they board. Please follow the signs on the bus. These routes include: 8, 14, 25, 36, 37, 42, 45, 47, 49, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 61, 62, 75, 77, 86, 89, 96, 97, 104, 109, 115, 118, 122, 128, 130, 135, 136, 145, 147, 156, 161, 165, 167, 169, 171, 172, 174, 176, 177, 179, 181, 193, 195, 196, 197, 199, 201, 205, 207, 208, 212, 215, 238, 241, 247, 248, 252, 256, 257, 261, 275, 277, 270, 278, 284, 287, 290, 291, 294, 296, 314, 320, 323, 330, 337, 344, 345, 350, 353, 362, 363, 366, 372, 380, 381, 407, 414, 422, 427, 433, 472, 474, 482, 484, 490, 496, 497, 498, 499, 549, 969, C3, C10, D3, E1, E7, E9, H25, H28, P4, P13, R68, R70, U5, U7
Double-decker buses with multiple doors will have a capacity of 20 people. Drivers will have the discretion to allow up to 25 passengers, if households are travelling together. Single-decker buses will have a capacity of between 6 and 10 people. Drivers will have the discretion to allow up to 7 or up to 14 passengers if households are travelling together, depending on the size of the bus
TfL is working hard to return services to as close to 100% as soon as possible despite the number of staff off sick, shielding or self-isolating. Since 18 May, TfL has been running around 85% of bus services
London Bus union Unite have responded to TfL’s plan to reinstate front door boarding.
Extracts from Unite the Union news release
Unite, the union which represents over 20,000 London bus workers, has given its qualified support to the announcement by Transport for London (TfL) that from tomorrow (Saturday 30 May) there will be a phased return to front door entry on London buses.
Phased return
Only buses that have been fitted with new screens, developed in conjunction with experts at University College London (UCL) and that completely seal the driver's cab, will return to front door entry and should be on the roads of the capital.
In a further effort to build worker and passenger confidence, Unite shop stewards and safety reps will inspect and clear each bus before front door loading is re-introduced.
Reduced capacity
In addition to the phased return of front door loading, TfL is also introducing reduced capacity on buses to help ensure social distancing. Double deckers will be allowed to carry 20 passengers while single deckers will carry between six and 10 customers. There will be some allowance made for families and household groups travelling together.
Crucially, the seating exclusion zone around the driver will remain in place.
Unite lobbying
The decision to close the front doors on London buses was taken following intensive lobbying from Unite and was seen as a vital way to protect London bus drivers from being exposed to Covid-19 while a strategy for the complete sealing of cabs was developed.
Since the pandemic began at least 33 London bus workers have died of the disease.
I am fully aware that bus services throughout Britain, Ireland and elsewhere have imposed new measures to limit the number of people riding the bus due to social distancing as part of the new Coronavirus measures.
The conversion of three-door, two-staircase hybrid New Routemasters to front door only boarding to reduce fare evasion is expected to resume once all the London bus routes revert back to normal front door boarding.
For more information on the Coronavirus restrictions you can check the guidance on the UK Government website.
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