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news
National Express responds to cyclist who filmed close pass
National Express has told a road.cc reader that it is taking action against one of its coach drivers filmed making a close pass on the rider last week, forcing him into the kerb.
The incident, captured on camera by George Woodrow, happened last week on the Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea, south west London.
> Near Miss of the Day 62: Overtaking National Express coach
George contacted National Express via its live chat feature and followed that up with email of the footage which involved a 509 service from Cardiff to London.
He received a reply from a customer service representative at the coach operator, who told him: “I am very sorry for the standard of driving you experienced and can empathise this must have been very scary given the size and speed of our coach coming towards you.
“I have to confess I was quite alarmed by the footage and I wanted to assure you we are in the process of taking action in line with our procedures.”
The email continued: “Complaints of this nature are always taken very seriously and your complaint summary and footage was sent across to the driver's Depot Manager.
“This was combined with our downloaded CCTV footage from the coach which > both the Depot Manager and Driving Safety Training officer are in the process of reviewing along with the driver's previous history.
“The driver will be invited to an interview about this incident and a decision on the best course of action and final outcome will be made.
“I'm unable to share the outcome of the investigation or the action taken against the driver due to employee confidentially laws.
“But this can range from further safety training at one end of the scale right up to dismissal at the most extreme end.
“As a precaution drivers investigated under safety related complaints are suspected from active driving duty until a decision is reached (without prejudice).
The email concluded: “I hope you never have cause to encounter driving standards of this nature > in the future and I'm grateful for you bringing it to our attention.”
Speaking about the incident last week, George told us: “You can see the gap narrowing with no clue my side how far across he would keep on coming. Luckily not enough to hit me but not far off.
"I spoke to the driver after and basically got a shrug of the shoulders. Being none the wiser about what he had done he will inevitably keep on doing it.
"Given he must have driven that road many times he would have known the road narrows and from his elevated driving position he could probably have even seen the zebra crossing and cars in front that would have brought him to a halt just after the narrowing.
"So a completely needless pass from all aspects."
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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23 comments
Nice that they are looking to do something, however most National Express coaches are run by other companies so most likely it'll be National Express speaking to another coach company to sort it out.
You can see the francisee address (although not readable) behind the front wheel arch.
I had a similar incident last year and National Express took it very seriously too. I think the problem is that the coaches are franchised.
Not sure this is necessarily a problem - depends on the power NE have over their supplier but it might be easier for them to tell the supplier "we don't want him driving our coaches" and let the franchisee deal with it. Disciplining directly employed staff could be a bigger hassle.
Ok.this one is bad
as so-called professionals they should know better. PSV, truck and taxi drivers like to think of themselves as 'professionals' when in reality that could simply mean that they have always driven poorly...
I reported a couple of incidents with National Express operated buses in Birmingham a couple of years ago. The incidents were a few weeks apart. Ireceived the same kind of stock repsonse that the rider received here. The approach seems competant and professional. I just hope that it was followed up as described. I was told that NE wouldn't be able to tell me what action had actually been taken. I didn't have video just a written description of the incident.
I didn't have another issue on my commute for the next 2 years so hopefully the process worked and continues to work.
Every cyclist needs a camera front and back. It's getting that bad out there and it seems the only way bad drivers will change is if enough of them are brought to book by the Police or Courts. I've a camera in my car too because even drivers can be victims of these morons with a licence.
I also offered to drive a lorry 5 cm away from their driver to see how his trousers stood up to things.
I am so pleased when companies take things like this seriously.
I am at present helping the Police with their investigations along with a London based firm. One of their drivers did something very similar, I was lucky in that I managed to get off the road just before his wheels went over the yellow lines ( so 10cm or so between the curb and the side of the lorry ). It was by far the worst incident I have had ( including getting knocked off by a car ).
The Police have been a bit slow to get involved ( but I know they have been busy in recent months ) but the lorry firm have been much better. I mailed them to tell them about the incident, they mailed me back saying sorry and they would review the cab footage, I then sent them mine with a "no, sorry, you need to look at what happened from my point of view" mail and described how scary it was to be forced off the road by their lorry and how if I hadn’t been luck how I would have died etc. Once they saw my video they replied and I then had a chat with the owner of the company. I was impressed at how he was handling things. The driver was immediately suspended, and will be not driving until an external assessor has interviewed the driver and checked the footage from their camera and mine. He also said they spend masses of money fitting the vehicles with aids to help visibility, but admitted he couldn’t make the drivers use them.
Not sure on the outcome of things yet, but the Police have said they want to check things too ( again after seeing the footage ).
Its good to hear firms are trying to do the right thing, for what ever reason ( publicity or safety ) and I hope more follow and that things get safer out there on the roads.
Take care !
It's a great response from the company.
Even though I think professional drivers should be held to greater account, I'd really rather not see people lose their jobs if they can be educated as just how scary things like this can be, and learn from their mistakes.
would be great if they were, as part of their further safety training, be made to cycle the road they did their close pass on and see how it feels like.
Isn't the education part of learning to drive? How did they get a driving license?
I'd prefer it if drivers were kicked out of their jobs until they either learn to do something else or learn to be a competent, careful driver.
Agree. This is people’s lives we’re talking about. We’re not trying to be vindictive, but if people can’t do their jobs without posing a lethal but avoidable risk to others, then they can’t be allowed to continue doing that job.
It's either a great response or a fine obfuscation. Apparently the victim will never know, because "confidentiality". Personally I'd bet the only consequence is a brief telling off and an" education " course lasting all of half an hour.
What does "held to account " mean if sacking people isn't an option?
I used to work with someone who’s husband worked for the Oxford Bus Company. At one point I had to make a complaint about a driver. She told me that management do review CCTV and people can and do get sacked if they have too many incidents. The exact amount depends on the nature of the incident, but a serious issue (without actual contact/offence) could get one warning.
The thing I don't understand, and that makes my cynicism wake up, is why the company can't tell the victim the outcome of their investigation ( on the strong assumption there really is one). I doubt it, because I know how many complaints have been made about a couple of drivers locally with no apparent effect on their behaviour.
It could be part of disciplinary process, which could be personal information. Even more so when GDPR comes in.
Only if they divulge information that could lead to the identification of the driver. Saying 'we have disciplined the driver involved' won't breach GDPR.
And it goes further - there'll be GDPR updates to employee handbooks and contracts anyway, basically informing of/obtaining your consent for processing your personal information for employment purposes - which will include disciplinary processes.
The bus operators who provide bus services to TFL can and do sack their bus drivers.
Depending on the offence it is 3 strikes and they are out, to immediate sacking.
Some bus companies self-insure but even if they don't they don't want to have to payout loads of money because one of their bus drivers killed or seriously injured someone.
The benefits of video and social media - everything's in public. Lots I wish wasn't but sometimes it's useful!
Good and appropriate response from the customer service person, probably a cyclist too given the level of empathy he/she showed.
It's a sorry state of affairs when you automatically assume that the only people empathetic are fellow cyclists. Sadly, you're probably right
Whooah... that's what I would call scary indeed. Sounds like National Express is taking this serious at least.