TfL charged criminally over fatal bus collision at Walthamstow station
Transport for London faces a criminal charge for failing to keep the northern crossing at Walthamstow bus station safe, after 74-year-old Grace Mecaley was killed by a route 212 bus in December 2023.
A criminal prosecution has been launched against Transport for London for allegedly neglecting safety standards at the northern crossing of Walthamstow bus station over a period stretching from 2004 to 2023. The case stems from the December 2023 incident in which 74-year-old retired nurse Grace Mecaley, long-time executive member of the Waltham Forest Race Equality Council, was fatally hit by a route 212 double-deck bus.
The Health and Safety Executive served TfL with a notice of contravention in March 2024 after inspectors found the crossing unsafe for pedestrians and vehicles, and issued a further notice in March 2025 over bus driver behaviour at the site. In response, TfL shut the station for six weeks in 2024 to implement safety improvements. The prosecution alleges breaches of workplace safety regulations, and the first hearing will take place on 25 September at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
Why it matters
The case could set a precedent for holding public transport authorities criminally liable for safety failures.
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