Going nowhere: buses outside Bolton's Crook Street garage

BOLTON bus passengers faced a travel nightmare again today when drivers from two companies went on strike.

The walk-out by Stagecoach Ribble and First Manchester employees meant none of their bus services were running in the town.

It is the latest disruption to hit services in Bolton as employees from the two companies continued their disputes which are centred on pay increases.

A First Manchester spokesman confirmed that the action would affect 300,000 people of their customers across the region.

He added: "Bolton is at a complete stand still for today and will probably only start moving again at about 4am tomorrow. The disruption to our customers is very serious, we understand that.

"We would like our customers to know that we have offered to enter binding independent arbitration but the union has not accepted it."

Today's industrial action by First Manchester drivers was the fourth day that the company's services had been affected in recent weeks, and followed on strike action on Friday.

Union officials and First Manchester bosses were negotiating last week to try to bring an end to the dispute.

Strike action also meant that Stagecoach Ribble's services throughout the town were forced off the road. Only one service between Manchester Cannon Street and Eccles was operating.

Drivers from the company's Goodwin Street depot walked out and a few union members picketed the premises today - the latest in a series of strikes.

Their dispute centres around a proposed 28-month deal, offering senior rate of £5.50 an hour from January 1, 2001, which would be reviewed on May 1, 2002.

No-one from the company was available to comment earlier today.