London bus collisions have caused 45 deaths and seriously injured 1,017 people in the UK capital since 2014, according to a report by the British trade union GMB London.

In total, 4,736 have been injured by public buses during this period, which works out at 2.7 people a day since the beginning of 2014. The incidents were mainly caused by buses outsourced by Transport for London (TfL), the study said.

Of those injured, an average of 4.3 people were killed or seriously injured every week during the past five years, according to the report.

To establish a mechanism for the safer operation of TfL outsourced buses, a LondonBusWatch meeting was called where London Mayor Sadiq Khan was urged to ensure the safe operation of buses by the outsourced private for-profit operators.

GMB regional secretary Warren Kenny said: “GMB London are calling for decisive action from the top to change the inherited culture at Transport for London and to ensure the safe operation of buses by the outsourced private for-profit operators.

“The safe operation of buses by the outsourced operators must be made TfL’s top priority.”

“The safe operation of buses by the outsourced operators must be made TfL’s top priority. We have to see an end to the current position on the endless toll of people killed and injured due to bus collisions.

“Safe operations of buses require drivers rested and with a safe system of work and well-maintained vehicles, all items clearly spelled out in the London Bus Drivers’ ‘Bill of Rights’, which was presented to his representative by protesting TfL Bus Drivers on 14 September 2017.”

The report highlighted that the City of Westminster borough recorded the most injuries from bus collisions with 350 from January 2014 to September 2018.

With a total of 260 injuries, Lambeth was second on the list, followed by Southwark with 226, while Croydon recorded 224 injuries, and Lewisham had 218.

GMB London Region is campaigning for the safe operation of TfL buses in London after a resolution was passed on bus safety and the public at the GMB Congress in 2018.