Please, can you tell me what procedures are in place for drivers that are being spat at whilst driving a bus? Are there a standard protocol or guidance for bus operators on how drivers report? Does the driver get paid for reporting being spat at? Is the driver prevented to report spitting incidents during work time and told to continue then report it after the shift or can the driver take it to the nearest police station immediately? Is the driver expected to call code blue and wait for police assistance to collect the spitting sample? How many drivers have been spat at in the last 4 years to date? Are the number of drivers being spat at increasing? Does TfL collect data on the number of drivers being spat at, if not why not?

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TfL Ref: 2741-920

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 6 December 2019 asking for information about bus drivers and spitting incidents.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold the information you require.

Page 87 of the bus driver’s ‘Big Red Book’ describes what steps a bus driver should take in the event they are spat at during the course of their duties. The relevant extract is below:

The answers to your specific questions are as follows:

Please, can you tell me what procedures are in place for drivers that are being spat at whilst driving a bus?

TfL’s Workplace Support Team (WST) work alongside the Metropolitan police (MPS) and we are made aware of spitting incidents towards staff. Bus drivers should be furnished with a spit kit, or have one available in the bus cab area, by their bus operator company. Each bus operator company will have their own process and procedure for assaults on their staff. TfL take these type of assaults very seriously and the WST liaise with the MPS and take the statement from the bus driver where possible.

Are there a standard protocol or guidance for bus operators on how drivers report?

Does the driver get paid for reporting being spat at?

Is the driver prevented to report spitting incidents during work time and told to continue then report it after the shift or can the driver take it to the nearest police station immediately?

Each bus operator company will have their own process and procedure for reporting assaults.

Is the driver expected to call code blue and wait for police assistance to collect the spitting sample?

The bus driver should use the code red button if they have been assaulted and will be advised by an operator on what to do next. The code blue button is for use in non emergency situations or incidents and should not be used if a bus driver has been assaulted.

How many drivers have been spat at in the last 4 years to date?

Are the number of drivers being spat at increasing?

Does TfL collect data on the number of drivers being spat at, if not why not?

We hold this data in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) for the two full years 2018 and 2019 (to date). TfL encourage reporting of all assaults even if some bus drivers decide they would rather put the incident behind them and not record the assault for prosecution purposes. The statistics above would indicate that the number of spitting offences against bus drivers is not increasing. The data is based on what our recording system receives from operators:

2019: 248 Reported cases of spitting at a bus driver

2018: 283 Reported cases of spitting at a bus driver

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

Sara Thomas

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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