Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed a trial of middle-door only boarding in buses will begin this week, as it looks to enhance safety for staff and critical workers.
The announcement comes after London mayor Sadiq Khan told Sky News that 14 transport workers have died in the UK capital after contracting the coronavirus.
Middle-door only boarding could ensure that critical workers can continue to use London’s buses to travel, while ensuring that drivers can maintain social distancing while working.
The trial will assess how the change works in live operations and whether it causes any issues.
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.
“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.”
The trial is the latest in a number of measures aimed at protecting bus workers and the critical workers who need to travel.
Working with Unite the Union and bus operators, TfL has been discouraging passengers from sitting near the driver, and has added an extra layer of protection to the clear screen that separates the driver from customers to create a more complete barrier.
TfL added that, since the introduction of the lockdown, it has seen the number of people using buses decrease by around 85%.
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