London bus drivers to stage 'all-out' strike from October 4: Full list of routes affected

22 September 2022, 10:38

More than 2,000 bus drivers are set to walk out indefinitely next month in a row over pay.

The dispute will plunge the capital's transport network into chaos and leave areas of north London without services.

The bus workers want a pay rise of at least 12.3% in line with current inflation figures. Unite has already managed to secure a pay rise of 11.3% for bus driverse in Merseyside and 13% for their British Airways members.

Approximately two thousand bus staff are set to take part in the strike, with the workers coming from eight Arriva depots at Ash Grove, Barking, Clapton, Edmonton, Enfield, Palmers Green, Tottenham and Wood Green.

If the strike goes ahead, there will be no buses on route 29, London's second busiest bus route.

Other routes that could stop running entirely in the capital include: 19, 29, 34, 38, 41, 73, 78, 102, 121, 123, 141, 144, 149, 150, 158, 175, 191, 192, 221, 242, 243, 253, 254, 259, 279, 313, 318, 325, 329, 340, 341, 349, 368, 377, 675, N19, N29, N38, N41, N73, N242, N253, N279, W3, W4 and W6.

The strikes are the latest in a series of ongoing disputes between transport workers and their employees over pay and conditions, amid the cost-of-living crisis.

Unite regional officer Steve Stockwell said: "Arriva has totally failed to address the strength of feeling among our members as they see their rates of pay eroded. The company needs to return to the negotiating table with an offer which meets workers’ reasonable expectations."

The union claims Arriva's UK bus division has paid £650million of profits to its parent company, the German state railway Deutsche Bahn.

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Alex Jones, Operations Director for Arriva UK Bus London commented: "Any pay settlement must be affordable and 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 are continuing discussions with Unite, with the aim of securing a positive outcome that delivers a fair and affordable pay rise for bus workers across the region. We will continue to update when there’s news."

Separate bus strikes in West London were postponed following the death of the Queen, with new dates for the strikes expected to be announced.

If the West London and North London strike dates coincided, around one in five London buses would be affected.