Request ID: FOI-2315-2324 Date published: 23 October 2023
You asked
Please send me full details regarding complaints and incidents related to the 366 bus route towards Redbridge / Beckton Station over the past 5 years.
I wish to know:
• The number and type of complaints about the 366 bus route and their drivers for each year over the past five years.
• The type and severity of sanctions available to the companies concerned where a complaint has been made about driver behaviour in the same time period.
• The number and type of such sanctions that have been taken in the same time period.
• The number of complaints which were not followed up, or for which no action was taken in the same time period.
• The number and type of legal driving penalties (fixed penalty notices or prosecutions) which have been incurred in the same time period (ie - speeding, box junction, dangerous/reckless driving, traffic light, parking offences) on the 366 bus route.
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-2315-2324
Thank you for your request which we received on 28 September 2023, asking for information about bus route 366.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require. You specifically asked:
The number and type of complaints about the 366 bus route and their drivers for each year over the past five years.
Please find the attached file containing complaints about bus route 366, over the last five years (5 Oct 2018 to 5 Oct 2023 inclusive). These complaints would have been referred to the private bus operator (in this case Blue Triangle who are part of Go-Ahead London) and followed up in line with their respective policies and procedures.
The type and severity of sanctions available to the companies concerned where a complaint has been made about driver behaviour in the same time period.
The number and type of such sanctions that have been taken in the same time period.
We don’t hold any information on driver sanctions. As TfL does not directly employ bus drivers, we are not in a position to issue sanctions as these responsibilities rest with the bus operators.
The number of complaints which were not followed up, or for which no action was taken in the same time period.
As with any investigation, the complaint must be proven for action to be taken against drivers. The actions available range from informal guidance/training up to dismissal/summary dismissal depending on severity and type of the incident and other factors such as driver history, etc.
Unfortunately, we wouldn’t know if action was or wasn’t taken. However, we expect all complaints to be followed up by the bus operators and taken seriously.We also independently assure ourselves of the standard of driving and customer service by carrying out driving quality monitoring, and customer satisfaction and mystery traveller surveys.
You would have to contact Go-Ahead London directly for further queries.
The number and type of legal driving penalties (fixed penalty notices or prosecutions) which have been incurred in the same time period (ie - speeding, box junction, dangerous/reckless driving, traffic light, parking offences) on the 366 bus route.
Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for driving offences such as speeding, dangerous driving or riding through red lights, are issued by the Metropolitan Police, not TfL. Therefore we don’t hold any information on any of these fines issued.
Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) may be issued by Local Authorities or by TfL. TfL can only issue PCNs for traffic contraventions that take place on the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN), more commonly known the Red Routes.However, we do not record a bus route number that a PCN is issued to, therefore it is not possible to identify how many PCNs were issued to buses on route 366.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
Yours sincerely
Eva Hextall FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
