London bus passengers are having to share their seats with an unsavoury pest.
Bus drivers say many vehicles are infested with cockroaches and are demanding the issue gets resolved.
The London Bus Forums group has shared pictures and video of the bugs on buses.
It says staff have identified buses on routes 159, 345 and 55 as being infested.
One incident involved a driver on route 159 who discovered a cockroach in their drink during a break.
The driver described the experience in a video recorded inside the affected vehicle.
“I went to take a sip from my drink and felt something in my mouth,” the driver said. “I spat it out and saw it was a cockroach. I felt sick and ended up vomiting.”
Bus safety campaigners have written to Transport for London (TfL) highlighting the problem. TfL says such instances are rare and has launched an urgent investigation.
Kevin Mustafa, a London bus safety campaigner, told the BBC: “The current state is untenable for drivers who already face demanding working conditions. Swift, transparent and decisive action will go a long way toward restoring trust, ensuring safety, and maintaining public confidence in London's bus services.
“London bus drivers are reporting persistent issues with cockroaches and unsanitary conditions onboard their vehicles. This is not a matter of occasional nuisance — many drivers describe infestations, and the situation is starting to pose real health, safety and wellbeing risks."
The London Bus Forums group says bus drivers will be marching next month to demands better working conditions.
It says: “The cockroach reports are not isolated. They point to a wider failure to maintain safe and clean conditions for bus drivers.
@london.bus.forums 🚨 URGENT: Cockroach Infestations on London Buses Reports from drivers and passengers show live cockroaches found inside drinks and vehicles. This is a public health issue that demands immediate action. @bbcnews @skynews @itvnews @c4news @tfl @thelndstandard @metrouk @guardian #LondonBus #TfL #Cockroach #BusDriver #UKNews #ViralVideo 📲 Share to spread awareness.
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“This is a public health issue affecting both staff and passengers. That's why drivers will be marching on 5 November to demand safer conditions and the adoption of the Bus Drivers Bill of Rights.”
A TfL spokesperson said: “We are committed to working together with operators to provide a clean environment for staff and customers.
“Most TfL welfare facilities are cleaned multiple times a day, and at a minimum daily, to maintain hygiene and safety standards. All buses are also cleaned every night before entering service and reports such as these are rare.
“We take any report seriously and are urgently investigating the specific incidents that have been raised.
“As with any reports, we will take appropriate action as part of the investigation, which can include taking buses out of service for inspection, deep cleans and treatment with specialist equipment if necessary.
“We would like to reassure staff that our operators would never take action against people raising concerns about welfare or safety and encourage any driver with concerns to contact their employer, their union, or contact us directly.”
