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Earlier lockdown would have saved lives of London bus drivers, says report Daughter urges inquiry into coronavirus deaths of London bus drivers
(about 3 hours later)
Male bus drivers in capital were 3.5 times more likely to die from Covid-19 than men in other jobs Victim’s daughter speaks out after report says earlier lockdown could have saved lives
Imposing an earlier lockdown in England would have saved lives, according to a report into the high death rate of London bus drivers in the pandemic by a leading expert on health and social inequalities. The daughter of a bus driver who died from Covid-19 has called for a public inquiry after a report revealed people doing that job were more than three times more likely to die from the virus.
Male London bus drivers aged 20 to 65 were 3.5 times more likely to die from Covid-19 between March and May than men in other occupations across England and Wales, says Sir Michael Marmot. The report into the high death rate of London bus drivers during the pandemic by a leading expert on health and social inequalities concluded that imposing an earlier lockdown in England would have saved lives.
The report was commissioned by Transport for London amid major concerns over the deaths of bus drivers in the capital. Marmot says drivers were at risk because of their job and also their underlying health as many had high blood pressure. They were more likely to live in the boroughs most hit by the virus and many were from black and ethnic minority groups. Leshie Chandrapala, whose 64-year-old father, Ranjith, died on 3 May after driving the No 92 bus on the Ealing hospital route from the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, described reading the report as “extremely distressing” for her and her family.
“Driving a bus, coach or taxi is among the frontline occupations associated with increased risk of death from Covid-19. Because London was an early centre of the pandemic, it is likely that the increased risk among London bus drivers is associated with exposure,” said Prof Marmot, the director of the UCL Institute of Health Equity. “The report made it very clear that a lot of bus drivers, including dad, could still be alive today if Boris Johnson and his government had taken the pandemic seriously and locked down earlier,” Chandrapala said.
“It’s really clear to us that the ultimate responsibility for keeping drivers safe lay with the Department for Transport and Grant Shapps. They set the policies for TfL [Transport for London] and bus companies, they had access to the medical experts who could advise on how to keep drivers safe.
“We need an initial inquiry to find out what’s gone wrong so more drivers don’t die if there is a second wave of Covid-19 and we also need a public inquiry to see why bus drivers like my dad died and for the necessary parties to take accountability for that.”
The report, commissioned by TfL amid major concerns over the deaths of transport workers, found male London bus drivers aged 20 to 65 were 3.5 times more likely to die from Covid-19 between March and May than men in other occupations across England and Wales.
Its author, Sir Michael Marmot, said drivers were at risk because of their job and also their underlying health, as many had high blood pressure. They were more likely to live in the boroughs worst hit by the virus and many were from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups.
Chandrapala believes the issue goes much further then when the lockdown was imposed. “TfL were at the forefront of saying masks were not necessary and we have enough PPE, but obviously that was not the case. My dad and his colleagues were dropping like flies. The report says there were variations in bus companies over when they took actions to keep drivers safe – we need to hear from TfL as to why those actions weren’t introduced and enforced immediately.”
She said the policy of middle-door boarding to keep passengers and drivers separate should have been introduced weeks earlier. “They introduced it on 20 April and my dad got sick on the 24th,” she said.
Marmot, the director of the UCL Institute of Health Equity, said: “Driving a bus, coach or taxi is among the frontline occupations associated with increased risk of death from Covid-19. Because London was an early centre of the pandemic, it is likely that the increased risk among London bus drivers is associated with exposure.
“Our review explicitly suggests that lockdown was the main factor that saved bus drivers’ lives. If lockdown had occurred earlier, it would likely have saved more lives. For those with high blood pressure, exposure to Covid-19 is particularly hazardous, disproportionately affecting drivers of ethnic minority backgrounds. In addition to reducing exposure to the virus, all drivers should therefore be screened for health risk, with those most vulnerable to dying from the virus receiving the most benefit.”“Our review explicitly suggests that lockdown was the main factor that saved bus drivers’ lives. If lockdown had occurred earlier, it would likely have saved more lives. For those with high blood pressure, exposure to Covid-19 is particularly hazardous, disproportionately affecting drivers of ethnic minority backgrounds. In addition to reducing exposure to the virus, all drivers should therefore be screened for health risk, with those most vulnerable to dying from the virus receiving the most benefit.”
Ten bus companies were working for TFL at the start of the pandemic, employing about 30,000 people, of whom 34 reportedly died with Covid-19. Of those, at least 29 were among the 25,000 bus drivers. Ten bus companies were working for TfL at the start of the pandemic, employing about 30,000 people, of whom 34 reportedly died from Covid-19. Of those, at least 29 were among the 25,000 bus drivers. Stories emerged of passengers spitting at bus drivers. One man was jailed for 10 months as a result.
Stories emerged of passengers spitting at bus drivers. One man was jailed for 10 months as a result. The findings were not limited to London. In the same period, “there were 70 more deaths to bus and coach drivers in England and Wales than would have been expected, of which 53 deaths included Covid-19 on the death certificate and 17 did not”, the report said.
The findings are not limited to London. In the same period, “there were 70 more deaths to bus and coach drivers in England and Wales than would have been expected, of which 53 deaths included Covid-19 on the death certificate and 17 did not”, says the report. Most of the London bus drivers who died fell sick 10 days either side of the lockdown on 23 March, the report found, suggesting they became infected before the change.
Most of the London bus drivers who died fell sick 10 days either side of the lockdown on 23 March, says the report, which suggests they became infected before lockdown. “Had lockdown come earlier it is likely that many fewer bus drivers would have died,” the report said.
“Had lockdown come earlier it is likely that many fewer bus drivers would have died,” says the report. The team examined death certificates for 13 of the bus drivers. In seven cases, high blood pressure or hypertension was a contributory factor. “This may be indicative of both the sedentary nature of bus driving and work stress,” said the report.
The team examined death certificates for 13 of the bus drivers. In seven cases, high blood pressure or hypertension was a contributory factor. “This may be indicative of both the sedentary nature of bus driving and work stress,” says the report.
A high proportion of the drivers who died were from a BAME background, although the review does not have exact details. “We note the possibility that employment in frontline occupations may contribute to the increased risk of Covid-19 mortality in BAME groups,” it says.A high proportion of the drivers who died were from a BAME background, although the review does not have exact details. “We note the possibility that employment in frontline occupations may contribute to the increased risk of Covid-19 mortality in BAME groups,” it says.
They tended to live in deprived areas -three-quarters in boroughs with the highest Covid-19 death rates. They tended to live in deprived areas – three-quarters in boroughs with the highest Covid-19 death rates.
TfL said it was devastated by the deaths. “It’s clear that frontline workers across the country have disproportionately suffered from coronavirus, which is why we worked closely with all London bus operators to introduce measures to help keep the capital’s drivers safe,” said Lilli Matson, the chief safety, health and environment officer.TfL said it was devastated by the deaths. “It’s clear that frontline workers across the country have disproportionately suffered from coronavirus, which is why we worked closely with all London bus operators to introduce measures to help keep the capital’s drivers safe,” said Lilli Matson, the chief safety, health and environment officer.
The measures included daily cleaning, and physically separating drivers from passengers, such as boarding via a door further from the driver.The measures included daily cleaning, and physically separating drivers from passengers, such as boarding via a door further from the driver.
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “As the son of a bus driver, this is deeply personal to me, and the transport workers who have lost their lives are constantly in my thoughts.
“The results of the study show that a range of factors contributed to the tragic deaths, including the government’s decision on when to go into lockdown, underlying health conditions, ethnicity and where they lived. I am determined to do all I can to protect staff by putting into practice the recommendations made.”
John Murphy, a regional officer for the trade union Unite, said: “London bus drivers and their families paid a terrible price for the government’s mistakes during the pandemic and these should be fully scrutinised in a public inquiry.”