TfL will trial only middle door boarding to buses on routes operating from Walworth this week in a bid to protect drivers from coronavirus.
Fourteen London transport workers have died as a result of the coronavirus, Mayor Sadiq Khan said.
These include nine bus drivers, three Transport for London staff, a London Underground employee and a worker for a TfL supplier.
One of those who have sadly lost their lives was reportedly an employee at TfL’s HQ in Southwark.
Mayor Khan said his thoughts and condolences were with those who have lost their lives due to the coronavirus and their families.
“We’ve had fourteen people who lost their lives tragically on public transport in London,” he told Sky News on Wednesday morning.
“It’s tragic for those families who are grieving and who are bereaved.
“One of my frustrations for some time is not just the lack of testing but unlike other countries we’re not contact tracing so we’re not sure how people are catching Covid-19.”
Mr Khan has come under pressure from union leaders to enhance safety measures on the London transport network following the deaths.
Safety measures put into place following pressure from unions including the sealing of bus drivers’ screens, signage warning passengers not to sit close to the driver, and now, a trial on how passengers board.
The middle door access trial will initially affect routes being operated by Abellio out of its Walworth depot. It runs the 381 and the C10 among others.
Claire Mann, director of bus operations at TfL, said: “We’ve already delivered many other enhanced safety measures and by trialling middle-door only boarding on buses we can gain the information we need to see if we can further improve safety on London’s buses.”
