A 14 September 2021 memo entitled “Bus Driver Welfare” presented to TfL’s Safety, Sustainability and HR Panel identifies “Routes with a round trip greater than 150 minutes with a toilet provision only at one end” receive only a “Priority 3” classification for action by TfL and its bus operators.

Do you agree with me that forcing bus drivers to drive a bus for over 150 minutes without access to a toilet is —(a) dangerous (b) inhumane and (c) probably discriminates against women bus drivers and others with known health conditions? In order not to remain in contravention of prevailing health & safety and equality laws, will you ensure that TfL assigns a higher priority to remedying this situation?

Providing bus drivers with access to toilets is a key priority for Transport for London (TfL) as demonstrated by the provision of 61 new toilets across the network since 2018.

The priority system, as used in the Safety, Sustainability and HR Panel papers, has been agreed by TfL with Unite the Union and the bus operating companies. This ensures that resources are directed where most needed. The good progress made since 2018 means that future-plans are now focused on “priority 3” routes, as you identified, as others with a higher priority have been addressed.