Stagecoach and Metroline bus drivers confirm further strike action

Two Bee Network bus operators, Stagecoach and Metroline, are to proceed with further strike action, affecting the majority of services in Stockport.

Unite the Union has confirmed that drivers at First have called off further action after voting to accept a revised pay offer. However, both Stagecoach and Metroline staff have opted to proceed with strike action on Friday 10 October, Saturday 11 October and Monday 13 October. Further industrial action will also happen on Saturday 18, Thursday 23 and Friday 24 October if pay negotiations between drivers and bus companies are not concluded.

Across Greater Manchester, around 190 services, including some dedicated school buses will not run on strike days, and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is advising passengers to check before they travel and allow extra time to make their journey.

Bus services in Tameside, Trafford and Stockport are not expected to run and some services in south Manchester and parts of Manchester city centre will also be impacted. All trams, local trains, Local Link and Ring and Ride will operate as normal on the strike days.

Bus passengers affected by industrial action with 7-day, 28-day, term-time or annual bus passes, as well as those with concessionary passes – including Our Pass – will be able to use their tickets and passes to travel across the three strike days on the entire Metrolink network, all Northern train services in affected areas and on TransPennine Express services between Greenfield and Manchester Piccadilly.

Danny Vaughan, TfGM’s Chief Network Officer, said:

“While we are pleased that planned industrial action by First staff has been called off, we encourage Stagecoach, Metroline and Unite to continue discussions to avert further strike action.

“We’ll continue to keep passengers informed and support them to make journeys wherever possible. We encourage everyone to check the latest status of their service before they travel, leave plenty of time for their journey and to get in touch if they have any questions. The Bee Network website will be the best place to get the latest updates on services.”

Services will be busier than normal and passengers who can are encouraged to travel outside the busiest periods on strike days (7-9am and 4-6pm).

A search function is available on the TfGM website for passengers to check if their service is affected, as well as the latest updates and route-specific information.