London Bus Drivers Go on Strike Over Dangerous Heat in Their Cabs

More than 1,500 London bus drivers went on strike this week because they say working in extreme heat is dangerous. The drivers work for a company called Arriva North London and belong to a workers' group called the Unite union. They stopped work at 4am and plan to strike on and off until 4:30am on Friday, August 21. Their main complaint is that the buses they drive do not have proper air conditioning, which means drivers can get dangerously hot on the job.

Drivers from eight bus garages across London are taking part in the strike. Those garages are in Barking, Edmonton, Enfield, Grays, Palmers Green, Stamford Hill, Tottenham, and Wood Green. In total, the workers plan 26 days of strike action. Many bus routes across London are affected, including routes 19, 29, 41, 76, 149, 243, and dozens more, as well as night bus routes like N19, N29, and N41.

The drivers say the inside of their cabs can heat up to more than 40 degrees Celsius. That is hotter than the hottest day ever recorded in the UK. Temperatures that high can cause serious health problems, including heatstroke, exhaustion, dehydration, and dizziness. The union says most Arriva buses use air cooling systems, which are not the same as real air conditioning and do not keep cabs cool enough.

Unite's general secretary, Sharon Graham, spoke out strongly about the issue. She said, "No worker should be made ill by their job." She added that this problem comes up every summer, and as summers get hotter, it can no longer be ignored. She argued that Arriva can afford to fix the problem and must make it a priority.

The strikes are happening during a very hot summer in the UK. On August 13, the Met Office — the UK's weather service — recorded the hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures hitting 38.1 degrees Celsius at Kew Gardens in West London. The UK has also been dealing with drought conditions this summer, making the heat even harder to cope with.

The timing of the strikes makes things even harder for London commuters. The strikes will happen at the same time as closures on the Piccadilly line, which is a major underground train route. This means passengers could face big delays whether they try to take the bus or the train. Experts are urging people to plan their trips carefully and give themselves extra time.

Arriva London's managing director, Wasim Mohammed, said the company cares about the safety of its drivers and customers. He said Arriva has already given drivers extra break times and welfare checks during hot weather. He also said the company is working to upgrade air conditioning systems and bring new buses into service. He called on the union to return to talks so both sides can work out a solution.

Transport for London (TfL), which oversees the city's bus network, also responded to the strikes. Lorna Murphy, TfL's director of buses, apologized for the disruption. She encouraged passengers to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, and check the TfL Go app or website before heading out. TfL said it is working closely with Arriva to help people get around during the strike period.