London buses can’t handle the heat, says Unite
2nd July 2009
Unite, the UK’s largest union, is astonished that many London
buses are so inadequately maintained they can not turn off the
heating during the summer meaning temperatures of 45 degrees
Celsius on some buses, making it hotter than Dubai.
Unite has been pressing the employers to ensure that air
conditioning is fitted into the cabs of all the buses for many
years.
Unite regional industrial officer, Peter Kavanagh, said: “Many
of our members are being unfairly targeted by angry passengers who
can not understand why the heating on the buses can not be switched
off during the summer.
“The bus operators are not employing enough engineers to fully
maintain the fleet to deal with this heatwave. Unite will be
writing to Transport for London's managing director to ask why this
problem has not been sorted out yet, as this serious discomfort for
both passengers and drivers happens every summer.
“We welcome the mayor’s commitment to air conditioning on some
London Underground trains, but have yet to see this level of
commitment towards London’s buses. We urge Boris Johnson to take a
ride on these buses, which may go some way to help him rethink this
policy.
“In the meantime, thousands of our members and millions of
members of the public will have to suffer hotter temperatures than
in Dubai. This is clearly a ridiculous situation which needs to be
addressed urgently as health and safety of the staff and public
must be paramount.”
ENDS
For more information contact Peter Kavanagh on 07980 721422 or
Ashraf Choudhury in the Unite press office on 020 7420 8914 or
07980 224761.
Email to a friend
