Fresh disruption is hitting London’s bus network as more than 300 drivers prepare to walk out in a dispute over fatigue and working conditions.
Drivers employed by the East London Bus & Coach Company, part of Stagecoach, will strike from today (Wednesday) until Friday, before staging a second wave of action from June 11 to 14.
The industrial action follows a previous week-long strike in April, which caused major disruption across seven routes.
Union leaders say talks have failed to resolve growing concerns over driver schedules and rota arrangements.
Eight routes serving central London and Stratford, including the busy Westfield shopping centre, are expected to be affected.
These are the 8, N8, 25, N25, 45, 205, N205 and 425.
Unite the Union, which represents the drivers, claims staff are being forced to complete journeys lasting up to 90 minutes without adequate breaks, while having as little as 10 hours’ rest between shifts.
The union also alleges that Stagecoach has refused to schedule meal relief breaks at depots, leaving drivers without suitable places to rest and recover.
Drivers are also reportedly expected to refuel buses using remote electric charging points, which Unite says adds to their workload and fatigue.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our members are raising legitimate concerns with Stagecoach about fatigue, which is not only putting them at risk but the general public too – yet they are being ignored.
“It is high time Stagecoach treats this problem with the seriousness it deserves, rather than pushing forward with these dangerous rotas. Our members at Stagecoach have our full support.”
Meanwhile, Tube drivers that are part of RMT are set to stage another walkout in June as a dispute around a four-day working week has yet to be resolved.
Unlike the industrial action in April, the looming strikes will not run midday to midday to impact across two days.
But TfL is warning that there could still be disruption to the Underground network on the mornings of Wednesday June 3 and Friday June 5.
Previous bus driver strike action in March, April and earlier this month caused delays and cancellation to services.
Unite regional officer John Murphy said: "Instead of listening to our members at Bow bus garage, Stagecoach has instead chosen to attempt to break the strike. Despite this, drivers remain united on the picket line and determined to win the fight for better conditions.
"This escalating strike action will no doubt cause further disruption to bus services – but this is the fault of Stagecoach. There is time to avoid further industrial action but that relies on it coming back to negotiations and working with Unite to resolve, not worsen, driver fatigue.”
A spokesperson for Stagecoach said: “Before the industrial action started, we had many months of detailed discussions with Unite representatives at Bow, during which we made a number of changes and suggestions in response to their concerns, although some requests were not practical to implement.
“It is important to emphasise that all schedules, driver duties and rotas are compiled strictly within the law governing drivers’ hours, as well as our long-standing agreements with Unite, all of which are designed with safe operation in mind. Average times on and off duty have not significantly changed and remain comfortably within agreed parameters. We remain willing to continue discussions with union representatives.
“Fatigue is a complex issue with multiple contributing factors, of which hours of work are only one element. We are industry leaders in having a fatigue policy and action plan in place to safeguard our people. There is no reason for any driver to work while fatigued - they are encouraged to speak up if they are not safe to drive, both before and during duties, and are not financially penalised for doing so. Safety remains our priority.”
A TfL spokesperson said: "Strike action is expected to impact 7 bus routes, however, the vast majority of London's bus network will still operate as planned on these days.
“Some local bus routes in east London areas may be busier than normal. We encourage customers who are affected to plan ahead, allow extra time for their journeys and check before they travel using our website or the TfL Go app. We encourage both parties to find a solution to this dispute and we're sorry for any disruption to people's journeys."
