Working on advice from the World Health Organisation, who have stated non-clinical staff do not require PPE, Sadiq Khan today insisted London bus drivers are still not required to wear personal protective equipment.
Sadiq Khan said:
“What they’ve told us is that PPE should only be used in care settings.”
“You know the shortage there is of PPE for our NHS and care staff, as recently as yesterday we re-chased the government to get advice on this.”
“Their advice is quite clear; transport workers should not be wearing PPE.”
Instead, TFL workers have been using their own PPE including goggles and face masks to protect themselves.
Some measures Sadiq Khan spoke of to protect workers include covering holes in plastic protective screens on buses with Perspex film.
He also spoke of having passengers use the back doors on buses.
Deep cleaning has also been promised as one of the measures to combat COVID-19.
Sadiq Khan speaking on the deaths of the 14 workers, went on to say:
“It is personal to me – my dad was a bus driver, many of my friends and people I know work in public transport and I work regularly and closely with the transport unions including bus drivers on a regular basis.”
“’They really aren’t being ignored, it is personal we’re making sure we’re taking steps in London that are world leading in this area I wouldn’t want anyone to be under the impression that we’re neglecting or ignoring our bus drivers or our transport workers, they’re as brave as our NHS workers.”
