London bus strike 2015

Strike: thousands of London bus drivers are expected to walk-out tomorrow

 TfL offers advice ahead of driver strike, but admits it doesn't know which routes will be affected

Transport for London has offered advice to millions of Londoners facing a day of travel chaos tomorrow as bus drivers prepare to strike, but travel bosses have admitted they don’t know which of the capital’s 700 routes will be affected.

Drivers across the capital are set to walk-out from 4am on Tuesday until the early hours of Wednesday in a strike expected to cause severe disruption across London’s transport network.

In an email sent to passengers this evening, TfL’s managing director Vernon Everitt said: “I am writing to let you know that the Unite union has announced a 24-hour strike, which will mean significant disruption to London bus services tomorrow.

“It is very difficult to predict in advance the level of service that will operate on the 700 specific bus routes. We will keep customers informed through our website and the usual electronic signs at around 2,500 bus stops,” he added.

The planned walkout, which affects 18 bus companies in the capital, is likely to involve 27,000 drivers take action in a long-running dispute over pay.

With passengers in the dark as to whether or not their bus routes will see cancellations or disruption, TfL published a list of the companies “likely to be affected”. These include: Abellio (Abellio London and Abellio West London); Arriva (Arriva North and Arriva South); CT Plus (Hackney Community Transport); Go Ahead (Blue Triangle, Docklands, London General, London Central, Metrobus); London Sovereign; London United; Metroline (Metroline and Metroline West); Stagecoach (East London Bus & Coach Company, Selkent) and Tower Transit.

Strike: bus drivers are demanding equal pay from the capital's bus operators

Londoners have also been advised that Bus & Tram Pass season tickets, 11-15 Zip Oyster photocards and 16+ Zip Oyster photocards with free bus and tram travel will be accepted on Tube, DLR and London Overground services on reasonable routes.

Bus workers union Unite has claimed some bus workers are losing out on up to £3 an hour depending on the company they are employed for.

In a statement today, it said more than two thirds of Londoners are backing the strike, according to a survey of 1,645 passengers.

Wayne King, London regional officer for Unite, said: “London’s bus operators have raked in millions in profits while driving down pay and refusing to tackle pay inequality on the capital’s buses.

“As bus company directors enjoy lottery style salaries, bus drivers doing the same job on the same route are being pitted against one another on different rates of pay.

“Strike action is the last resort. We’ve been forced into this position by the operators’ refusal to even meet with us. Passengers sitting side by side on the same route expect to pay the same fare, so why shouldn’t drivers expect to be paid the same rate?

“The bus operators need to stop pleading poverty in defending pay inequality and collectively start negotiating about a fairer deal for London’s bus workers.”

Leon Daniels, TfL's managing director of surface transport, said: "It is extremely disappointing that Unite has decided to threaten unnecessary disruption, especially given the low turnout for the ballot and low numbers voting for the strike.

"Bus drivers' pay and conditions are a matter for the bus companies and Unite to discuss, as it has been for 20 years, and we would urge them to seek a swift and fair resolution for the sake of our passengers."

Cr.London Evening Standard Post