Until recently buses in London ran using a 'time card', the idea being that the bus would arrive at certain points along the route at the designated time.

The only force working against that happening was, of course, traffic. London is becoming the most congested city in the world and getting buses to run to a timetable takes a lot of juggling.

Recently Transport for London (TfL) has removed the time cards and buses now run using 'headway' meters.

Headway meters in the driver's cab show the distance between their bus and the one in front. The idea is that each driver keeps the same distance from the bus in front. The only problem with this is our old friend 'traffic'.

Now if a bus is held up, then every bus behind it has to slow down, sometimes to a complete stop to maintain headway. Passengers complain as they want to get to work but the bus is at a standstill, sometimes on an empty road or at a bus stop for up to five minutes.

This is paving the way for drivers to be abused and assaulted as more and more passengers are getting upset.

The headway system is also inaccurate and drivers could, according to the meter, be ten minutes behind the bus in front but turn a corner to find they are right behind it.

The radio in the cab then chirps into life with an irate controller threatening to put the driver on report for being too early.

Breaks

Even with little traffic drivers are held back by controllers as the headway needs to be correct.

Hours are getting longer, lunch breaks are getting shorter and finish times getting later and later. Drivers are taking more and more verbal abuse by controllers for simply trying to do the job with a system that does not work.

Some garages are having meetings soon to discuss what we intend to do about it. We will no doubt put in grievances about the situation but some will be calling for industrial action.

If TfL and the bus companies do not want to listen then this will be the only course of action left open to us.

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The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.

Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.

We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our Fighting Fund.