Five London bus workers have now died with coronavirus, according to a trade union.
Unite branded the deaths a ‘terrible tragedy’.
Regional secretary Peter Kavanagh said: ‘Unite will assist the families of our members in every possible way during this terrible time.
‘Unite has been working continuously with Transport for London (TfL) and the operators to ensure the safety of drivers and others in the industry who are performing a heroic job in getting NHS and care workers to their places of work. I have been in direct contact with the Mayor of London who shares our view that bus drivers must be fully protected.’
Use of public transport, including bus and Tube services in the capital, has fallen dramatically since the prime minister imposed a lockdown on the country to stem the spread of Covid-19.
Mr Kavanagh continued: ‘My officers are holding daily meetings with TfL, exploring further safety improvements and we are absolutely committed to doing everything in our power to make the driving of buses safe during this unprecedented crisis.
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‘We are also calling on the Government to make provisions for transport workers in terms of personal protective equipment.’
It comes amid concerns that NHS staff on the front lines are not being given the required equipment to stay safe, with a number of medical staff dying after contracting the disease.
The impact on transport workers has been less clear, but one official suggested improvements were being made to protect their safety.
Gareth Powell, TfL’s managing director for surface transport, said: ‘We have been extremely saddened to hear of the recent passing of our colleagues in the bus industry.
‘The safety of our staff and customers is our absolute priority and we have been working closely with the bus companies, the mayor and Unite to implement a range of changes and improvements to keep the bus network and garages safe for those operating and using it, in accordance with Public Health England advice.
‘Our clear message to Londoners is simple – the transport network is only for critical workers who need to make absolutely essential journeys. Please, everyone else, stay at home, don’t travel and save lives.’
The identities of the five workers has not been revealed.
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