Bus passengers in north London and Essex face major disruption this week as Arriva drivers strike over working conditions in hot weather. The walkout, which began at 4am on Tuesday, affects 42 Transport for London (TfL) routes, including night buses and Superloop services, and will run until 4.30am on Friday.
Routes affected by the strike
The strike involves drivers from garages in Barking, Edmonton, Enfield, Grays, Palmers Green, Stamford Hill, Tottenham and Wood Green. The full list of affected routes includes 19, 29, 34, 41, 66, 67, 76, 102, 121, 141, 149, 150, 158, 175, 191, 192, 217, 221, 243, 248, 254, 259, 279, 307, 313, 329, 341, 349, 370, 375, 377, 616, 675, SL1, SL2, W3, W4, W6, N19, N29, N41 and N279.
TfL has warned that 'little or no service' is expected on these routes, and that other local bus routes, Tube and rail services may be busier than usual. The majority of the capital's bus network will operate as planned on strike days, a TfL spokesperson said, but passengers should plan ahead and allow extra time for journeys.
Why are drivers striking?
The dispute centres on conditions inside buses, many of which have reached extreme temperatures during back-to-back heatwaves. Unite, the union representing thousands of bus drivers, said some drivers suffered heat stroke and dehydration while working in temperatures close to 40C. The union accused Arriva North London – a TfL contractor – of failing to act on complaints about conditions.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: 'Time and time again drivers have complained to Arriva North London about working in dangerous conditions but the company has failed to act which is completely unacceptable. A profitable company such as Arriva could easily invest in improving conditions for its drivers and protecting the general public but is instead prioritising greed. We will back our members all the way in this dispute.'
Arriva and TfL respond
Wasim Mohammed, Arriva London managing director, told Metro: 'We take the welfare of our drivers seriously and understand the impact of this extreme weather on them. We are working closely with Transport for London to support both our colleagues and customers during these hot spells. We've introduced short-term measures to protect drivers, and we're investing in longer-term fixes, including cab air conditioning upgrades and our ongoing investment in new fleet. We remain ready to sit down with Unite at any time to discuss these important issues and find a resolution that avoids both strike action and the disruption it would cause to customers.'
A TfL spokesperson said the strike action is expected to hit local bus routes in north and some central London areas. 'We encourage both parties to find a solution to this dispute and we're sorry for any disruption to people's journeys,' they added.
Further strikes planned
Arriva has announced additional strike dates between now and October, including August 25–28, September 4–5, September 7–8, September 18–19, September 21–22, October 2–3, October 5–6, October 16–17 and October 19–20. Some of these walkouts coincide with planned closures on the Piccadilly line, which is being upgraded for new trains and will shut between August 18–20, August 25–27, September 18–20 and October 16–18.
