'Bus passengers were surprised a woman was driving'

Jill Viner became the first female driver of London passenger buses 50 years ago

Ask any eight year-old what they want to be when they grow up and "bus driver" is likely to be among the answers.

But Jill Viner's childhood dream was forbidden, as women were not allowed to drive passenger buses at that time.

Then in late May 1974, Jill became the first woman to hop behind the steering wheel of a London bus.

Her legacy and career of almost 20 years has now been celebrated by the London Transport Museum.

Jill had dreamed of becoming a bus driver from the age of eight

Although some women had already driven buses for London Transport, in 1974 Jill was a pioneer as the first to drive passengers in service.

She was based at Norbiton garage in south-west London, driving passengers around the capital until 1993.

"I’ve always been interested in buses - don’t ask me why. I was about eight years old when I made up my mind I wanted to be a bus driver," said Jill before her death in 1996.

"There have been a few surprised looks from passengers at stops who have spotted that a woman was driving," she said.

"They must be the ones the conductors have told me have fallen up the stairs. I’m too busy concentrating on my job to see what other people are doing."

Jill inspired other women to apply for jobs as bus drivers

Within a few weeks of Jill’s first day as a driver, it was reported that 30 women had applied to drive buses.

In 1980, London Transport began pro-actively recruiting women to become bus drivers.

"Today, there are many more women working in all areas of Transport for London and women are represented at all levels of the organisation," said London Transport Museum, which has been celebrating Jill's success.

"However, women are still not proportionally represented within public transport and comparatively few women are bus drivers."