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London bus driver hits out at Sadiq Khan after mayor claimed TfL workers wouldn’t be penalised for refusing to drive hot vehicles
A London bus driver has publicly criticised Mayor Sadiq Khan after he claimed to have given Transport for London (TfL) permission to let workers refuse to drive vehicles that became dangerously hot, with the driver disputing that any such protection actually existed in practice. The row follows a series of heatwaves across the capital in 2026, during which bus drivers were among the worst-affected TfL staff, as many vehicles lacked functioning air conditioning while temperatures in some cabs exceeded 40°C.
Sir Sadiq Khan told LBC radio that he did not want any bus driver working in conditions he deemed unacceptable, and stated he had authorised TfL to allow drivers to opt out of driving overheated vehicles without penalty. However, the driver speaking out disputes that this assurance reflected reality on the ground. The dispute comes after separate Daily Mail testing found temperatures on some London bus routes and Tube lines exceeded the legal limit set for transporting cattle.
In short
- Bus driver contradicts Khan's claim that hot-vehicle refusals go unpenalised.
- London faced four heatwaves in 2026, with bus cabs exceeding 40°C.
- Some routes reportedly topped the legal heat limit for transporting cattle.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The mayor has articulated a clear policy prioritizing worker safety and explicitly authorized TfL to permit workers to refuse dangerously hot vehicles without penalty. Implementing such protections across a vast transport network involves complex operational layers, and any inconsistencies between stated policy and ground-level practice reflect execution challenges for TfL management rather than insincerity in Khan's commitment to worker welfare.
The case against
If workers feel they cannot safely exercise the protection Khan publicly claims to have authorized, the policy is ineffective in practice. The fact that drivers are disputing the real-world applicability suggests either poor implementation by TfL for which Khan bears responsibility, or that his assurance was not as comprehensive as presented. When documented temperatures exceed legal limits for cattle transport, workers understandably demand more concrete protections than a policy they lack confidence using.
Explained simply
London's buses are run by Transport for London (TfL), the body overseeing the capital's public transport, which is overseen by the Mayor of London, currently Sir Sadiq Khan. Bus drivers are TfL staff or work for private operators contracted to TfL, and their working conditions, including vehicle safety, fall broadly under TfL's responsibility.
The issue stems from repeated heatwaves hitting London in 2026, during which many buses without working air conditioning became extremely hot inside, with some cabs reportedly reaching temperatures above 40°C. This raised concerns about driver welfare and safety, particularly since separate testing found conditions on some routes exceeded legal limits set for transporting livestock.
Khan said publicly that he had authorised TfL to let drivers refuse to operate vehicles that got dangerously hot without facing punishment, intended as reassurance that no driver would be forced to work in unsafe heat. The dispute now centres on whether that promised protection has actually been applied in practice, with at least one driver saying it has not, raising broader questions about accountability for frontline transport workers' working conditions during extreme weather.