A union is calling on the Mayor of London to take “decisive action” to stop people being killed and injured by buses in the capital.

Figures from Transport for London (TfL) have revealed a total of 6,725 people were killed or injured by London buses between July 2017 and June 2018.

A total of 5,226 people who were injured were treated at the scene, 772 people were taken to hospital or reported a minor injury, 719 were taken to hospital with a serious injury and eight people were killed.

Now trade union GMB is calling on Sadiq Khan to put an end to people being killed or seriously injured by London’s buses.

GMB regional secretary Warren Kenny said: “What is needed is decisive action from the top to change the culture at Transport for London to make the safe operation of buses by the outsourced private for-profit operators the top priority.

“It’s not the top priority under the current contracts. Punctuality has the highest priority and profit margins are linked to punctuality records. This has to change.”

TfL currently outsources its bus services to private companies.

Mr Kenny added: “The safe operation of buses by the outsourced operators must be made TfL’s top priority.

“GMB know that safety culture change in organisations has to come from the very top.

“Nothing less than fundamental reform of the Bus System’s contract performance incentives to include safety is acceptable.”

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “We have made progress in making buses safer, but we know there’s further to go.

“Every single death or serious injury on our roads is unacceptable, and that’s why London is using world-leading technology to make buses safer for everyone on our roads.

“We’ve set ambitious targets to improve road safety to achieve our Vision Zero target of no deaths in or by a bus by 2030 or sooner.

“Londoners will see noticeable and practical improvements to all new buses from this year, including better mirrors, audible alerts for pedestrians, and innovative designs to the inside of buses.”