Question No: 2024/3678
Question (Thomas Turrell AM): 21st November 2024
Following up your response to question 2024/3412, I would conclude that any police decision to involve the DVSA in a collision investigation would be limited to incidents where the police suspected a catastrophic vehicle failure that pointed to a design or technical defect in the vehicle's make or model. Should I be concerned that TfL doesn't keep records on safety incidents involving its buses where DVSA has become involved in the crash investigation? Given your Vision Zero 'ambitions', aren't these precisely the kind of incidents on which TfL should be collecting data?
Answer (Sadiq Khan): 26th November 2024
As explained in my previous response, irrespective of whether the Police involve the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), Transport for London (TfL) works with the bus operating companies to undertake investigations into serious incidents to improve safety and prevent similar incidents reoccurring. This includes rare events such as bus fires or where vehicle systems (such as brakes or steering) have failed.
In addition to design or technical concerns, the police may seek to involve the DVSA in inspecting a vehicle for a variety of reasons including (but not limited to) perceived poor maintenance, or where there is an allegation made by the bus driver or a member of the public in relation to the vehicle.
