It is disturbing that bus company First Bradford has decided to suspend driver and union official Mohammed Taj after he revealed that another driver was unable to call for help on his out-of-order radio when a teenager collapsed on his bus.
This is clearly a very tragic case. It should be of serious public concern that the radio was not working. These radios are there primarily for the protection of drivers, to enable them to call assistance if they encounter trouble. But they are also there for use when passengers need help.
The fact that the driver had to use a public telephone box instead to call for assistance and seek advice on the teenager's condition could have caused a delay in treatment. Whether it did, and whether that contributed to the boy's death, is for an inquest to decide.
It is perfectly reasonable for Mr Taj, as a union official, to bring the matter to light. The bus company obviously has concerns, too, because it has launched an internal investigation. Mr Taj has also made the very constructive suggestion that drivers should be given first-aid instruction so they can offer medical help if necessary.
What is alarming is that the action taken by the bus company against Mr Taj suggests that it would have preferred the public not to know about the faulty radio. Yet the public are its customers and have every right to know.
First Bradford should reinstate Mohammed Taj immediately and get on with the serious issue of learning from this incident so that in future its passengers can be better protected.
Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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