Floating bus stops remain ‘very low’ risk for pedestrians says Transport for London

Floating bus stops present a “very low” risk for pedestrians, Transport for London (TfL) has insisted, despite repeated concerns being raised by campaigners including the National Federation of the Blind.

Also know as Bus Stop Bypasses (BSBs), floating bus stops are where a cycle track and bus stop interact, with passengers often needing to cross over a cycle lane to enter or exit the vehicle.

For TfL, they play a major role in helping build more protected cycleways in London while maintaining current road space for motorists.

London Cycling Campaign (LCC) say they are “a vital part of the delivery of inclusive, safe cycle tracks and routes”.

However, campaigners have consistently raised concerns over the accessibility and safety of BSBs for older and disabled people.

Last year ministers announced a pause on the rollout of one type of floating bus stop called Shared Use Bus Border (SUBB) where the cycle lane runs across the front of the bus stop.

However, it did not prevent future construction of bus stop bypasses (BSBs), where the bike lane runs behind the bus stop. Both these types make up around 1.5 per cent of the capital’s 19,000 bus stops.

LCC say the SUBB model is “clearly inferior to bypasses — but sometimes they’re the only floating bus stop design available, if there’s not a lot of width of pavement and track space”.

Officials have now released a long-awaited safety review into the bypass model, updating one they published in 2024 due to incorrect data around the implementation date of some BSBs.

Three new reports, released on Friday 13 November, confirm that TfL has maintained its stance that the “the risk of pedestrians being injured at BSBs is very low” and that it was “rare” for a pedestrian and cyclist to “interact” — or collide — at a floating bus stop.

TfL claim there were only five pedestrian casualties involving cyclists and one involving an e-scooter over a three-year period analysed, compared to 11,400 pedestrians injured in collisions with motorists.

However, Sarah Gayton from the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) claimed that the true figure is far higher due to what she claims are unreported injuries at floating bus stops.

“There is an accessibility crisis in London,” she told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

“It’s dangerous, discriminatory and disgusting. The Mayor wants to gets people cycling without thinking of the impact on people in this city. There are lots of incidents, but nobody is reporting them.”

She also suggested that disabled Londoners — especially those with mobility or sight issues — are staying away altogether.

The TfL report appears to confirm this, noting that when “comparing boarding levels at bus stops before and after bypasses were constructed between 2019 and 2022, there is a slightly greater reduction in the number of older and disabled passengers at bus stops where bus stop bypasses were constructed” by up to three per cent. However, they claimed this is not “statistically significant”.

“The data does not include the people who are too scared to go near them,” Gayton said.

“Does every journey really matter? TfL do not know what they are doing — they need to listen to the London Assembly and pause them.”

Last week the London Assembly passed a motion calling for a pause in the installation of floating bus stops, suggesting the designs have left some people “fearing for their safety”.

The motion, which is non-binding, cited a series of incidents at floating bus stops across the capital, including a disabled man who was hit in the ribs and ankle by an e-bike rider after getting off a bus in Camden.

Reform UK Assembly Member Keith Prince, who proposed the motion, told the LDRS: “I’m disappointed that Transport for London’s report supports the continued use of floating bus stops and dismisses safety concerns. It is a missed opportunity to put Londoners’ safety first and address the serious concerns raised by blind, partially sighted, older and disabled Londoners.

“My motion in City Hall last week was a step in the right direction that saw all political parties working together. I will keep working to eliminate floating bus stops from London.”

Green Party Assembly Member Caroline Russell acknowledged that the concerns of older and disabled Londoners needed to be “heard and acted on” but urged TfL to continue rolling out the “important” bus stop type.

She added: “The evidence shows that bus stop bypasses have reduced the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads. They are an important part of making cycling a safe option for getting around London, allowing people to ride their bikes behind stationary buses rather than having to weave into dangerous traffic.

“This TfL review is about improving the design of existing bypasses rather than questioning whether this very sensible measure should exist and I welcome that.”

It came just a week after London TravelWatch, the capital’s transport watchdog, also called for a pause on any new BSBs.

Will Norman, London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said: “The Mayor and I remain committed to enabling safe and sustainable travel across the capital for everyone. It’s encouraging to see data confirming that the risk of bus stop bypasses to pedestrians is extremely low, but also that TfL remains committed to making this infrastructure work for everyone.

“We will continue working with Londoners and organisations to understand their experiences and explore potential transport network enhancements as we build a greener, safer, better London for all.”

Ahead of the release of the TfL reports, LCC published an explainer on why bus stop bypasses are needed.

Without a bypass in place cyclists are “at risk of a collision with a bus or other motor traffic” so most European cities with cycle tracks use floating bus stops of some sort without much controversy.

“Perhaps unsurprisingly, the LCC view is that on the balance of evidence, cycle tracks and therefore floating bus stops of some sort are a necessity if we want to ensure more and a wider range of people can cycle safely.”

Transport for London reports: Bus stop bypass design enhancement review (2026); Bus stop bypass progress report (2026); and Bus stop bypass safety review (2024) [updated]. All reports available here.

Additional reporting by Linus Rees.

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