Further strike action to affect Stockport bus services through August and September

Trade union, Unite, has announced further dates when bus services in Stockport will be affected by strike action.

The latest industrial action comes amid pay disputes between drivers at two bus companies in Greater Manchester, First Group and Stagecoach, with an estimated 1,500 drivers set to strike.

Stagecoach drivers from the company’s Stockport, Ashton, Sharston and Hyde Road depots will be striking after rejecting an improved pay offer over two further periods in late August and early September: Friday 25th to Monday 28th August, and Monday 4th to Friday 8th September. Today (14th August) is the last day of an initial four-day strike by Stagecoach drivers.

Strikes on the August Bank Holiday weekend will also coincide with national rail strikes on Saturday 26th August, affecting Northern, Transpennine Express and Avanti West Coast services in the borough.

Stagecoach is the main bus operator serving Stockport, and on the most recent strike days just two services in the borough have continued to run, albeit on a reduced timetable: the 192 between Hazel Grove, Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport Town Centre and Manchester Piccadilly; and the 203 between Stockport Town Centre, Reddish and Manchester City Centre. Timetables on upcoming strike dates during the remainder of August and September have yet to be confirmed.

Elsewhere in Greater Manchester, First Manchester services in Rochdale, Oldham, Manchester and Ashton will also be affected by industrial action on the same days, as well as 15th, 16th, 18th, 21st and 23rd August.

Both FirstGroup and Stagecoach are advising bus passengers to consider alternative travel arrangements using other transport providers. Trade union, Unite, which is representing bus drivers in the dispute, has called on the two operators to make a pay offer which better reflects the companies’ increased profits and the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on drivers and their families.