Bee Network whistleblowers’ warning about safety concerns

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has spoken to drivers who have claimed they are being sent out in buses which are ‘not supposed to be on the road’, and that it is a ‘matter of time’ before a major incident happens.

Some said the problems in the network have become a ‘crisis’ and warned that there is growing unhappiness among bus drivers in Greater Manchester.

The Bee Network owns the region’s buses, while various operators run the services.

Bus drivers have spoken out about plummeting morale over the safety issues, including ‘anger’ over how many of them had to work long shifts in vehicles without air conditioning over summer when temperatures on board were said to be as high as ‘42C’.

The issue of high temperatures on buses has impacted bus networks across the country this year, with 1,500 bus drivers working for Arriva North London postponing strike action over hot weather working conditions this week after negotiations with trade union bosses.

The LDRS understands that Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is in active talks with trade unions in the region over driver concerns and working conditions in high temperatures.

One former driver at Go North West, an operator which runs Bee Network services, has alleged that MOT tests for buses are being ‘rushed’ through by members of staff who are employed by the company, while claiming that bus defects are routinely being ‘marked as fixed’ without actually being dealt with.

“It’s like our lives don’t matter,” the source said, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“They act like they care about your safety, but it’s all a box-ticking exercise to make them look good.

“There was one incident when the bus cut out, and I smelt burning. I got everyone off the bus and rang it in; all the plastic had fallen off, there was a wiring fault, because someone couldn’t be ars*d doing it properly.

“There could have been a serious fire next to high-rise buildings. I was driving around in a potential firebomb.”

They added: “In the garage, they passed the MOT on five double-decker buses in 40 minutes, but that’s the time it takes to do one car.

“A report came in on the computer about a serious defect, yet it was marked off as fixed.

“One of those buses that passed the MOT the next day, there were a load of reports from drivers of defects. It was just a box-ticking exercise, and this was a Bee Network service.”

Go North West has responded to the claims, saying that the allegations have been ‘thoroughly’ investigated.

A spokesperson said: “Safety is our highest priority, and we take any concerns raised by our current or former colleagues extremely seriously.

“An allegation of this nature has previously been raised with Go North West and was thoroughly investigated. The investigation did not substantiate any of the claims made.

“Our buses are maintained and inspected in accordance with the strict regulatory requirements, and drivers are required to carry out safety checks before entering service and to report any defects identified.

“Vehicles with safety-critical defects are not permitted to remain in service until the issue has been rectified.

“We encourage our colleagues to report any safety concerns and have established processes for doing so. We would never seek to discourage anyone from raising a genuine safety concern.

“If any specific new evidence is provided to us, we will of course investigate it thoroughly.”

A member of staff at the Stockport bus depot, which is managed by Stagecoach, also claimed that safety issues are repeatedly not being addressed.

They said: “Drivers are trained on doing a first-user check and to report defects. Engineers are supposed to look at it and decide if it is on the road or off the road, but they won’t do anything about it; they’ll sign it off and say it’s fine; they’ll sort it later.

“We’ve had CCTV cameras not working, radios not working. There are so many buses with no radio; realistically, we’re not supposed to take a bus out on the road with no radio, in case there’s a diversion or some other sort of issue.

“If someone kicks off on our bus, we’re just stuck. The emergency button in the cab links to the radio; if it’s not working, it won’t do anything.”

The staff member said high temperatures on board vehicles have been a major issue over the summer.

They added: “It’s disgusting; some days it has reached 42C at one point on the bus. It makes you feel exhausted, you’re overdrinking, you constantly need the toilet, you feel dizzy, and if we make one mistake it can be life-threatening with up to 100 people on the bus.

“We’ve had abuse from passengers because of it, people screaming and shouting at us, we were constantly getting abused when the heatwave was, all we could say was sorry.

“We’re told to get off the bus and get a break, but it’s not as easy as that, we have to run on time and everyone needs to get somewhere, you feel that constant pressure.

“One of the drivers had heatstroke and was sick outside the bus, another had to be taken off the bus because he was feeling dizzy, he had to go and sit in his car for AC just to cool him down.

“They don’t take our welfare seriously at all.

“It’s come to the point where it’s become a crisis, and a lot of the public don’t know any of this.

“A driver or passenger will end up seriously hurt at some point because of these issues, it’s just a matter of time until there’s another bad heatwave and a driver faints while driving a bus.”

Sources claim there has been a breakdown in communication between drivers and management at the Stagecoach depot in Stockport.

An issue which has soured relations is understood to be over a broken air conditioning system in the staff canteen, while managers’ offices are said to have working AC.

Other drivers on Bee Network services have spoken out in recent weeks about the difficulties caused by the lack of air conditioning on vehicles, which they believe has put them at risk of ‘passing out’ while driving a bus full of passengers.

The issue was particularly bad during the June heatwave when some drivers reported having to visit A&E after shifts, while passengers said they felt ‘unsafe’ on board Bee Network buses and trams.

Stagecoach accepted there are ‘limited’ issues with radios on buses, but denied that its services are unsafe.

A Stagecoach spokesperson said: “The safety and wellbeing of our colleagues and customers is our absolute priority, and we take any concerns raised by our drivers seriously.

“We strongly refute any suggestion that vehicle maintenance standards at our Stockport depot are being compromised.

“Our maintenance processes are subject to rigorous internal and external auditing, and Stockport’s engineering operation is consistently ranked among the top-performing maintenance operations across the Stagecoach Group.

“All vehicles undergo safety checks, and any defects identified are assessed by our engineering teams to determine whether a vehicle is fit to operate. A vehicle with a non-functioning CCTV system is not permitted to enter service.

“We are also aware of some limited radio coverage issues, which are being worked through with the radio contractors and are outside the direct control of our local management team.

“We have robust procedures in place to support colleagues during periods of hot weather, including guidance on taking appropriate breaks and staying hydrated. We continue to engage with our teams locally to ensure concerns about working conditions are properly heard and addressed.

“We would encourage any colleague with specific concerns about their safety or welfare to raise them directly with their manager or through the appropriate internal channels so that they can be investigated and resolved.”

Concerns over driver welfare and high temperatures on Bee Network buses have been raised by politicians in Greater Manchester, with calls for improvements on vehicles.

Councillor Michael Welton, the Green Party’s representative on Greater Manchester’s Bee Network Committee, said: “This summer’s extreme temperatures have been a wake-up call for the Bee Network’s passengers, employees and infrastructure.

“Air conditioning, window tinting, thermal insulation and shading at stops must all be on the table to protect staff health and keep buses and trams an attractive option in summer.

“The old excuse, that there weren’t enough hot days to justify investing in cooling, no longer holds.

“Greater Manchester’s Green councillors will be asking the Bee Network committee to scrutinise the network’s preparedness for hotter summers, with a focus on employee and customer health and comfort.”

Councillor Amna Abdullatif, co-deputy leader of Manchester Green Party Group, added: “This should be a national wake-up call. There’s no legal maximum working temperature in UK law and no minimum cooling standard for vehicles or workplaces.

“Heat has been linked to over 2,700 deaths in England and Wales this summer alone, according to the Met Office, and that’s before July or August is even counted.

“Unite has raised this nationally for years, warning that bus firms treat every heatwave as a surprise when it’s now a yearly problem. Drivers shouldn’t have to fight alone for basic safety at work.”

It is understood that all Bee Network operators have signed up to a new confidential incident reporting system that allows transport workers to flag concerns, and is set to go live on September 7.

The network is aiming to have a new fully electric fleet by 2030, with new buses with better cooling systems replacing older vehicles without any air conditioning.

Alison Chew, bus network director at Transport for Greater Manchester, said: “Safety and staff wellbeing is a top priority for the Bee Network and something we discuss regularly with operators and unions – and we have sought additional assurances from operators about their staff welfare and vehicle maintenance procedures and policies in light of the allegations.

“All our buses are required by law to meet strict safety standards and undergo regular maintenance and testing. We are investing heavily in a new, modern fleet of electric buses that are better equipped for extreme hot weather.

“We encourage drivers to report any concerns they have either to their manager, through the confidential reporting system that Bee Network operators are signed up to, or to TfGM.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “It’s important public transport workers are protected from extreme temperatures, both for their health and wellbeing and for the safety of passengers and road users.

“Public transport operators have a legal responsibility to make sure their vehicles and workplaces are safe for staff, including during extreme heat.”