Bus strikes to begin over hot weather conditions

Bus drivers are to press ahead with a series of strikes after rejecting attempts to resolve a dispute over working in hot weather, complaining their cabs often exceed 40C.

Around 1,500 members of Unite working in north London and Essex will walk out for four days on Tuesday, followed by more strikes in the coming weeks.

The strikes, planned by Unite the Union for 11 different occasions between now and mid-October, call on Arriva to replace air-cooling systems in cabs with full air conditioning.

Arriva said the wellbeing of staff and customers was its "top priority", and it was working closely with Transport for London (TfL) to ensure the right support was in place.

As the UK endures its fifth heatwave of the summer, drivers have reported falling ill with heatstroke and narrowly avoiding crashes.

The union said its members, employed by Arriva North London, voted against an offer to resolve the row, adding that the offer did not go far enough to solve the problems of hot weather working.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "London bus drivers do a vital job, but are putting themselves at risk due to these appalling conditions.

"Arriva can fully afford to make meaningful changes our members can accept.

"Until that happens, strike action will continue and our members at Arriva North London will continue to have the full backing of Unite."

Lorna Murphy, director of buses at TfL, said: "We know that any disruption to London's bus network can have a significant impact on our customers, and we're working closely with Arriva to help customers travel during these periods of strike action.

"We encourage anyone travelling in the affected areas to plan ahead, allow extra time for their journeys, and check before they travel using the TfL Go app or our website. We're sorry for any disruption this may cause to our customers."

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