A reduced Stagecoach bus service will run in Bedfordshire on dates in July and August after drivers turned down a pay offer and voted to strike.
The affected dates include the weekend of the Bedford River Festival, which attracts over 250,000 visitors to the town.
A reduced service will operate on Tuesday 9 – Friday 12 July, Friday 19 – Monday 22 July (River Festival weekend), Friday 2 August and Thursday 5 August.
The union Unite said that over 140 drivers for Cambus, a subsidiary of Stagecoach, are to strike after, “the company refused to make a decent pay offer”.
It said that drivers at Cambus earn £13.46 per hour while other companies in the area are paying over £15 leaving bus drivers substantially out of pocket.
Unite regional officer Mark Plumb said: “Cambus needs to start valuing its workers and understanding their sense of frustration at being the lowest paid drivers in the region. Instead it is making absurd demands about reducing sick pay and overtime while demanding more and more of its drivers.
“Our workers aren’t going to stand for it anymore and will demonstrate their level of anger on the picket line next week.”
Darren Roe, Managing Director of Stagecoach East, said: “We are disappointed that our pay offer has been rejected by the Bedford driving team.
“We believe the industrial action called by Unite Union is unnecessary, as the offer was for a 15.14% increase over 2 years with 11.16% in the first year, off the back of an 8.8% award previously and improved overtime enhancements payments.
“We are committed to offering good pay packages for our people and remain open for talks with Unite. However, at the same time we have to think about the future of the bus network and the implications that higher pay demands have on the cost and scope of the services we offer the local community.
“We’re sorry that our passengers will be inconvenienced by unnecessary strike action.”
River Festival weekend
Mr Roe advised visitors to the River Festival to allow extra time for their journey and apologised for the inconvenience caused.
“The 905 service will also be affected, but remaining services in Cambridge, Peterborough and the Busway will be unaffected.”
More information about the services available can be found on the Stagecoach website here.
