Stockport bus services to be affected by industrial action

The majority of bus services in Stockport will not run for four days as part of industrial action between Friday 11th and Monday 14th August.

Over 1,000 drivers at Stagecoach Greater Manchester, which operates the majority of bus services in Stockport and South Manchester, voted in favour of strike action, with picket lines planned at depots across the city-region, including Stockport, Hyde Road, Ashton and Sharston. Bus drivers rejected a below-inflation pay offer from Stagecoach, of 4% from June 2023, with a further 4% increase in December.

Strike action will take place on the 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th August, affecting services across the whole of Greater Manchester, but particularly in Stockport where Stagecoach is the dominant operator. A limited number of Stagecoach services will continue to run on a reduced timetable, including the 192 between Hazel Grove, Stepping Hill and Manchester City Centre, and the 203, between Stockport town centre, Reddish and Manchester City Centre.

First Group drivers at depots in Oldham and Middleton will also strike on the same days, also impacting bus services in the North of the city-region.

In light of the industrial action, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), is advising bus passengers to make other arrangements for travel during strike days, either using other bus operators, or other modes of transport. Further information on affected services can be found on the TfGM and Stagecoach websites.

Trade union, Unite, which is representing drivers in the dispute, have described the deal as inadequate, particularly in light of the transport group revealing in its most recent financial report a 98% increase in profits to £36.4 million in the six months to 29th October 2022.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:

“Stagecoach is bringing in massive profits and can well afford to give its drivers a reasonable pay increase. The company must put forward an offer that acknowledges rising living costs and the demands of what is a difficult and stressful job. Unite’s top priority is our members’ jobs, pay and conditions and Manchester’s Stagecoach drivers have the full backing of their union.”

Lee Wasnidge, managing director of Stagecoach Manchester, told the Manchester Evening News:

“The management team at Stagecoach have been working hard to agree an industry leading pay settlement. We have made a substantial offer which would see our drivers’ headline pay rates increase by 14.3 per cent and in addition, every driver would receive an immediate one-off payment of £750.

“Our offer would make Stagecoach drivers amongst the best-paid in the region with excellent terms and conditions. It is therefore incredibly disappointing that our above rate of inflation deal, has been rejected.”