Coronavirus: Fourteen transport workers die in London after contracting COVID-19
London mayor Sadiq Khan tells Sky News that the death toll in the capital includes nine bus drivers.
Wednesday 8 April 2020 13:16, UK
Fourteen transport workers have died in London after contracting the coronavirus, mayor Sadiq Khan has told Sky News.
Mr Khan told Kay Burley@Breakfast that the death toll includes nine bus drivers, as well as three Transport for London workers, an Underground employee and a worker for one of TfL's suppliers.
The mayor said his condolences were with all those who have lost their lives as a result of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Mr Khan stressed that his office was doing a "number of things" to ensure that transport in the capital was "as safe as possible".
"We've made sure, for example, that we're using advanced cleaning regimes," he said.
"We're using antiviral disinfectant, the sort of stuff you use in hospitals, to clean not just the steering wheels, but the handles, the bus garages, the restrooms.
"We've also made sure that passengers can't sit too near a bus driver.
"We've made sure there's perspex glass between the bus driver and passenger with a protective film in there as well."
Mr Khan revealed that on some routes, a trial involving passengers only using the middle-door of the bus to enter and exit the vehicle will now take place to see if this is a way to mitigate the risks.
TfL says it hopes the new boarding method will mean key workers can continue to rely on buses to travel around London.
The trial will be in place from this week on several routes operated by bus firm Abellio out of its depot in Walworth, south-east London, including two that serve hospitals.
Claire Mann, director of bus operations at TfL, said: "London's hard-working transport workers are making a heroic effort at the frontline of the fight against this pandemic, and it is only right we consider everything we can to protect them.
"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.
"Most Londoners can do their bit to protect our bus colleagues and other critical workers by remembering: stay home, don't travel, save lives."
Travel on the capital's buses has dropped by 85% since the lockdown was announced.
Sky News has spoken to a number of bus drivers in London who have said they do not believe they have the proper protective equipment to do their job safely.
TfL staff members, who wanted to remain anonymous, said they "are all scared" due to a lack of protective equipment during the COVID-19 outbreak.
One driver said he has been "let down" by TfL after showing symptoms of COVID-19.
He said: "Instead of thinking about saving money they need to think about lives."
The driver, who is in his early 30s, said he didn't feel safe going to work.
He said: "They say everything has to be deep cleaned, but in reality it's never done. There isn't any protection… there are no gloves, the cabin isn't even cleaned properly.
"Every day I spend an extra 15 minutes just wiping around all the stuff... to clean around all the stuff I touch."
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Speaking to Sky News' Noel Phillips, the daughter of Grant Kellman, a London bus driver who died in hospital after testing positive for COVID-19, said she will not be able to attend her father's funeral.
"He was admitted on Thursday 26 March and by Saturday morning he was dead. He didn't show any symptoms," said his daughter Donna Kellman.
"I spoke to him on the Friday and he seemed alright. We are so sad. We weren't expecting this at all because he wasn't coughing or anything at all. He was only feeling a pain in his back."
She added: "My dad was happy. He loved the job so much. I think by the time the lockdown was announced on March 23 he was already infected. He was a healthy man. He only had a heart problem dating back to 2017, but other than that he was fine."
TfL has told Sky News that the safety of staff and customers is "our absolute priority", adding that it has been working with bus companies, the mayor and the Unite union to "implement a range of changes and improvements to keep the bus network and garages safe for those operating and using it".
On Tuesday, transport minister Chris Heaton-Harris acknowledged that some transport workers do not have the appropriate PPE.
Giving evidence to the Commons' transport select committee, Mr Heaton-Harris said officials are working to pinpoint areas with a "risk of short supply".
He added that the government wants to ensure the equipment is "in the right place at the right time".