TfL fined £2m after woman killed on crossing

Transport for London has been fined £2 million after a 74-year-old woman died when she was hit by a bus while using a pedestrian crossing. Grace Mecaley was walking home from shopping on Walthamstow High Street on December 15, 2023, when she was struck by a double-decker bus at approximately 5pm.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the incident and found that TfL had not ensured that pedestrians and vehicles could move safely around the bus station. Mrs Mecaley was using a designated crossing near Rose Bank Villas and was about two-thirds of the way across the road when the bus, rounding a corner to enter the station, collided with her. She sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Safety Failures Identified

HSE inspectors noted that the crossing was situated at the apex of a bend where buses turned into the station, meaning drivers did not have a clear view of the full crossing before making the turn. This crossing, described as a 'red carpet' crossing, was intended to give pedestrians priority. However, its layout created ambiguity about who had the right of way, increasing collision risks. The HSE concluded that TfL's failure to manage these risks had persisted for years. Records showed a pedestrian had been struck by a bus in similar circumstances at the same crossing in April 2022, yet TfL had not conducted a risk assessment. CCTV footage also revealed five instances of near misses between pedestrians and buses in the two days prior to Mrs Mecaley's death. The HSE further found that TfL had not adequately supervised bus drivers operating at the station.

TfL entered a guilty plea to breaching Regulation 17(1) of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. At Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday, September 25, the organisation was fined £2 million and ordered to pay £5,081 in costs.

Lorna Murphy, TfL's director of buses, stated that her thoughts were with Mrs Mecaley's family and friends. She acknowledged that every death on the transport network is devastating and expressed TfL's determination to prevent further loss of life and injury. Ms Murphy confirmed that TfL accepted responsibility for the charges brought by the HSE and indicated that the organisation would consider its next steps regarding the court's fine. Works to permanently improve pedestrian safety at the bus station were completed in December 2024.