Protecting bus workers during the covid-19 outbreak

That this House commends the UK's front-line bus workers, many of whom have continued to work during the covid-19 outbreak in order to provide transport for other key workers; regrets that tragically, across the UK, a number of bus workers have died from covid-19; is concerned by the findings of a recent survey of bus workers by the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) Union which shows that over 20 per cent of bus workers had been issued no Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by their employer, only half had a protective screen fitted in their driving cab and three quarters of bus workers have no access to washing facilities at work; further notes that unlike the rail sector, there is no national coronavirus forum to deal with those issues in the bus sector; recommends that emergency funding for bus operators should be dependent on the compulsory implementation of safety measures to provide all bus workers with sufficient PPE and testing for all those people who exhibit symptoms of covid-19, enforce social distancing measures on all buses, and allow cashless travel; and calls on the Government to work with the transport unions to ensure that all bus workers are protected.