LBL's tender party
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• A joint working party comprising management and unions at London Buses, together with Sir Keith Bright, chairman of London Regional Transport, has been set up to consider LRrs policy on bus tendering.
It is hoped the move will resolve the problem which has caused considerable industrial unrest, including a series of one-day strikes on the capital's buses.
A spokesman for London Regional Transport says the working party will enable "LBL to explain its approach to competitive tendering and allow the unions to have an input".
An indication of the importance of the working party's task is provided by the personalities involved. As well as LRT chairman Sir Keith Bright, the working party includes LBL chairman and chief executive John Telgord Beasley, Transport and General Workers Union general secretary Ron Todd, and TGWU national passenger group secretary Cliff Twort.
The greatest disruption caused by industrial action against LRT's tendering policy has taken place at Norbiton. London Buses has now asked LRT to make alternative arrangements for routes 65, 71, 85 and 213, in view of the "continuing unreliability caused by continuing industria action".
LRT says that London Buses will continue to offer the services while alternative arrangements are made. "One possibility is to offer the routes for retender," says LRT.
The proposed sale of LRT subsidiary BEL has been strongly criticised by Islington North Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn: "It is bound to lead to asset stripping and undermine the standards of vehicle safety and reliability of London Buses," he says.