Unite calls for action on ‘disgraceful’ London bus driver assaults

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Kumail JafferLocal Democracy Reporting Service

Getty Images A red double-decker London bus stuck in traffic on Oxford Street at night time. There are street lights lighting up the vehicles, and the bus's bright headlights are shining at the camera. The bus is travelling to Victoria. A bus driver is sat in the cabin at the front behind the wheel, and there are people stood on board the bus. A queue of London buses and black taxis are visible to the left of the bus.Getty Images

There have been 431 assaults and hate crimes on bus drivers in London so far in 2025 as of mid-August, figures show

Unite, the UK’s largest trade union, has called on Transport for London (TfL) to do more to crack down on the “disgraceful” number of bus drivers being assaulted.

New figures obtained via a Freedom of Information (FOI) request showed there had been 818 physical assaults and hate crimes on drivers in London in 2024 – up 20.5% on the previous year.

This year alone, there have been 431 incidents reported by drivers as of mid-August, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

TfL said it was “committed to doing all we can to protect our colleagues” and encouraged people to report any instances of abuse.

Unite’s national officer for passenger transport, Wayne King, said: “These figures are simply disgraceful. No-one should go to work expecting to be abused and assaulted.

“Assaults have increased dramatically since Covid and demonstrate a wider problem in society.

“The mayor, TfL and bus operators need to take action to protect drivers.”

‘No-one came to help’

The LDRS spoke to one bus driver, who did not want to be named, who was left badly injured after being assaulted last April.

He was operating a late-night route in west London when a passenger blamed him after he tripped and spilled his food and drink when the bus was moving.

“Straightaway he came to my cabin and started banging on the window. He was verbally abusive and increasingly aggressive,” the driver said.

He triggered the assault alarm, but said “no-one came to help”.

“The passenger managed to break the driver cabin door and came inside. He started punching me on my forehead and ears, demanding money for the food and drink,” the driver said.

“At first I told him I couldn’t give him any money, but he continued. I gave him whatever I had and finally he started moving out of the bus. But then a lady who was with him came and hit me on my forehead.

“TfL asks us to stay in the cabin if in danger, but I followed that rule and look what happened.”

Getty Images A bus driver sat in the front of a red double-decker London bus travelling to Willesden, leaning his arms on the steering wheel with his hands crossed. A cyclist is passing his bus on the left, and there is another red double-decker bus in the background.Getty Images

Westminster had 56 assaults on bus drivers in 2024, the most of any London borough

According to the data, some of the worst boroughs for the crimes include Westminster, which had 56 assaults in 2024, Croydon and Haringey, which both had 48, and Ealing, which had 40.

Earlier this year, hundreds of bus drivers marched on Parliament Square to call for a Bus Drivers’ Bill of Rights to improve working conditions and safety, including fair pay, well-maintained vehicles and proper rest breaks.

At the time the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, said that “many aspects of the proposed bill of rights are already covered by existing agreements, actions or legislation”.

Siwan Hayward, TfL’s director for security, policing and enforcement, said: “We do not tolerate any violence, aggression or threatening behaviour towards bus drivers.”

She said TfL’s workplace violence and aggression team worked with the police to investigate physical assault and verbal aggression against staff, and called on the public to report any abuse so that preventative measures can be taken.

The BBC has approached Sir Sadiq for comment.

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