Arriva bus drivers in Bolton went on strike yesterday, Wednesday, over a pay and conditions dispute with the operator.

Drivers from the operator's depot on Goodwin Street joined union members from around the North West downed tools on Wednesday, to make their feelings clear, and will continue until further notice.

Unite the Union, which represents the workers, say the pickets are in response to a "pitiful" pay offer of three per cent, or six per cent including reductions in sick pay and a loss of Saturday enhanced pay.

The union says both offers are "far below the current real inflation rate (RPI) of 11.7 per cent and so constitute a pay cut".

The bus drivers are the latest group of other workers to strike this summer, including Post Office workers and rail workers in June.

Drivers on the picket line in Bolton on Wednesday morning hoped the strike will force Arriva to pay them “what we’re worth".

One man on strike, who asked not to be named, said: “We want a standard of living rise, we have to pay the bills like everybody else.

“As part of the Bolton depot, as part of the North West, we have been penalised as being on a lower wage, than (in places) like Liverpool, even though they do the same job.

“On a standard, basis wage, we can’t survive, and a lot of the drivers here do overtime to make up the wage which shouldn’t be necessary, you can’t do six days a week, every week to make a living wage.

“We’re regarded even by the public as just bus drivers – no we’re not just bus drivers – we have a lot of responsibility, and the amount of safety aspects you we have to consider driving every day.”

The strikers say the role of a bus driver is much more diverse than people realise, especially as contact with the public and responsibility for passengers is essential.

The man on strike added: “We’re everything, we’re social workers, we’re bankers, we’re road safety officers, we have to mind children, the elderly, you name it, it’s all part of our job.

"The strikers say bus drivers also experience abuse on the job from frustrated passengers and said two drivers they knew had recently suffered an assault.

“This shouldn’t happen, we’re not just a body in a car that you can spit on.”

In response to the strike, Howard Farrall, North West and Wales area operating director for Arriva UK Bus, said: "We are very disappointed that we were unable to reach an agreement with Unite and GMB, who have confirmed they plan to hold a strike for an indefinite period across services in the North West from 2am on Wednesday.

"Our people play a hugely important role keeping communities moving and they fully deserve a fair pay rise – especially with the cost-of-living increasing so much.

"It’s why despite the significant pressures on the bus sector with increasing costs and passenger numbers still at below pre-pandemic levels, we have offered our people a generous pay rise of 8.5 per cent – an increase far higher than most workers are receiving from their employers at a time of considerable economic pressure.

"Furthermore, we have tabled this offer during a time of significant focus on sustainability of our networks in partnership with our local public transport authorities, to ensure that Arriva continues to deliver and manage a viable bus network across the Region reflecting post-pandemic passenger trends.

"It isn’t right that the unions wouldn’t put this latest offer to their own members and allow them to exercise their democratic right to vote.

"The mandate for strikes arose from a ballot of Unite and GMB members on a previous pay offer, meaning strikes are continuing without the improved proposal being put to employees by the unions.

"Strike action is counter-productive, harms the communities and customers we serve, and damages bus travel at a time when we should all be focused on building recovery from the pandemic.

"We’re calling on Unite and GMB to abandon their plans for this damaging strike and to ballot their members on the new offer."