KEY WORKER STATUS FOR LONDON BUS WORKERS

That this House welcomes the Westminster Hall Adjournment Debate held on 10th October 2006 on bus services; recognises that to have stable and reliable bus services in Great Britain will require well paid bus workers; supports the Transport and General Workers' Union Bus Workers' Charter as a means to achieving this; congratulates the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority on increasing the pay of Greater London's bus workers, which has directly contributed to significantly raising bus passenger numbers across the capital; recognises the essential public service role of the bus worker in the capital and that the high cost of property, plus the lack of social housing, in the capital means that many bus workers continue to be unable to find appropriate accommodation, which in turn drives many such workers out of Greater London; and calls on the Government to accord key worker status to such employees working within the boundaries of Greater London and the South East.