Vision Zero is the Mayor’s aspiration for no one to be killed in or by a London bus by 2030, and for all deaths and serious injuries from road collisions to be eliminated from London's streets by 2041.
Transport for London’s 7th September 2023 Bus Safety strategy showed more people were killed or seriously injured by London’s buses in 2022 than in 2016 when the current Mayor took office.
In addition, the Mayor’s own target for a 70 per cent reduction in people killed or seriously injured in or by a bus by 2022 was not met.
The London Assembly is therefore calling on the Mayor to provide an update on how Vision Zero will be met, along with any further interim targets.
Neil Garratt AM, who proposed the motion, said:
“While the Mayor has set a target of zero deaths or injuries from London buses by 2030, he is not on track to achieve it. Indeed, bus safety is getting worse, not better.
“The latest TfL data shows more people were killed or injured by London buses in 2022 compared with 2016. This motion calls on the Mayor to explain how he intends to achieve his vision of zero deaths by 2030.
“We’re also calling on the TfL Commissioner to update the TfL Board on the number of people injured or killed by London buses at each meeting so board members can monitor progress and hold TfL to account.”
Sian Berry AM, who seconded the motion, said:
“No Londoner should lose their life because of a Transport for London bus.
“I am proud to join Assembly Member Garratt in holding the Mayor to account on reaching his target to reduce dramatically the number of Londoners killed or seriously injured by buses.
“London can achieve zero road deaths, and action on buses is an essential part of getting there.”
The full text of the motion is:
This Assembly strongly supports the Mayor’s aspiration for no one to be killed in or by a London bus by 2030, and for all deaths and serious injuries from road collisions to be eliminated from London's streets by 2041, and stands with all victims and their families.
However, this Assembly is very concerned that this aspiration seems unlikely to be met on current trends given Transport for London’s 7th September 2023 Bus Safety strategy showed more people were killed or seriously injured by London’s buses in 2022 than in 2016 when the current Mayor took office. In addition, the Mayor’s own target for a 70 per cent reduction in people killed or seriously injured in or by a bus by 2022 was not met and the current reduction from the 2005-09 baseline is 54 per cent.
This Assembly was therefore encouraged by the Mayor’s promise to “take away the idea” that the TfL Commissioner should include the number of those hospitalised by or on TfL buses in the Commissioner’s Report to the TfL Board.
This Assembly is concerned that, without significant improvement, a continuation of the current trend on bus-related KSIs (killed or seriously injured) would mean the Mayor missing his target. This Assembly calls on the Mayor to give an update to Londoners on how Vision Zero for London’s buses will now be reached, and any further interim targets.
As an immediate step, this Assembly further believes that the Commissioner should include both the number of bus-related KSIs and significantly more detail on those KSIs in the Commissioner’s report so that the TfL Board is aware of both the level and trend in bus KSI data, and thus better able to do its job in holding Transport for London to account.
Notes to editors
- Watch the full webcast.
- The motion was agreed unanimously.
- Neil Garratt AM, who proposed the motion, is available for interviews.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For media enquiries, please contact Tony Smyth on 07510 488715. For out of hours media enquiries, call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the London Assembly duty press officer.