Bus driver sacked for running red light wins employment claim

A bus driver with an “exemplary record” who was sacked for going through traffic lights when they were on red has won his unfair dismissal claim.

The Employment Tribunal heard that Abdul Jabber had worked for National Express West Midlands for 37 years and had an unblemished record. He was sacked in October 2015 after a CCTV camera caught him driving through a red light.

He took legal action saying the dismissal was an excessive reaction to one mistake, especially as he had worked for the company for so long without any other issues.

The tribunal found in his favour and said he was entitled to compensation.

Judge Glyn Lloyd said: “”The claimant is a bus driver of exemplary record. He has worked for the respondent without any disciplinary taint for some 37 years.

“”He has been free of any accident or driving penalty for some 32 years.

“”What he did was – and we accept it was – a five-second momentary lapse of concentration on his part by a driver who sits in the cab facing the unpredictable environment of busy city roads eight to ten hours each day.

“”Considering the totality of the evidence, we find that his summary dismissal in those circumstances was disproportionate.””

The amount of compensation will be set at another tribunal unless the two sides can reach an agreement out of court.

Please contact Jackie Cuneen if you would like more information about the issues raised in this article or any aspect of employment law.