With two bus strikes in recent weeks and more on the horizon it is time for the Mayor to bring people to the negotiating table.
While the dispute, and in particular its impact on passengers, is deeply regrettable what I find especially frustrating is that this disruption could so easily have been prevented had our Mayor not relinquished all responsibility for resolving this issue.
It is clear that the Mayor has washed his hands of responsibility for ensuring London’s bus drivers are fairly paid, but in doing so he has failed to consider the prolonged suffering of passengers caught up in the commotion that surrounds these strikes.
As is often the case during these kinds of negotiations, all sides may not get everything they wish for. Nevertheless, the Mayor must show willing to accept that this is a legitimate issue and one which can only be resolved by engaging in a genuine dialogue with both sides.
While disruptive and understandably frustrating for passengers, these strikes have also served to demonstrate the extent to which we rely on our buses in London.
There is little doubt that the Mayor has forfeited all responsibility for London’s bus drivers.
But what he needs to remember is that whether he believes they are right to strike or not, passengers will get a better service from transport staff, who feel they are listened to and treated fairly.
As it stands, Boris’s dodging of the issue only serves to extend the disruption for passengers.
MURAD QURESHI AM London-wide assembly member
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