Transport for London announced it is taking precautionary measures to withdraw its fleet of electric buses.

As previously reported, London’s Metropolitan Police declared a “critical incident” after a double-decker bus caught fire during a morning rush hour in Wimbledon, London on the 11th january 2024.

Although no injuries were reported, a safety cordon was established around the incident while fire and rescue services dealt with the incident.

TfL (Transport For London) confirmed that it is working with the electric bus operator London General, a subsidiary of Go-Ahead London, and manufacturer to investigate the cause of the fire.

As reported by The Guardian, Head of Bus Business Development at TfL, Tom Cunnington said:

“As a precaution, the fleet of buses that normally operate on route 200 is being temporarily withdrawn from service by GoAhead while the investigation continues, with other vehicles being brought in to cover.

“All buses made by the relevant manufacturer will be checked thoroughly as a matter of priority. Other buses in the fleet remain in service and TfL and bus operators will not hesitate to take further action if required to ensure the network remains safe.”

The Standard has since reported ongoing calls for better safety for Londoners on public transport including the withdrawal of all electric buses from the same manufacturer until all the details of the Wimbledon incident have been understood.

A spokesperson for Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “Safety is TfL’s top priority. As a precautionary measure, TfL have temporarily withdrawn from service the fleet of buses that normally operate on route 200 and all buses made by this relevant manufacturer will be checked thoroughly as a matter of urgency.

“The mayor is assured that TfL is working with the operator and the relevant bus manufacturer to urgently investigate what happened.”