Arriva bus drivers to strike over cab heat

More than 1,500 Arriva North London bus drivers are to strike on 26 dates this summer and autumn, in a dispute over hot working conditions inside their cabs

The dispute involves a different operator to those running services through Chiswick, First Bus, Transport UK and Metroline. But drivers on local routes have described similar conditions in the same heatwaves. One told the Chiswick Calendar in July that his cab had reached 50 degrees C, and Unite regional officer Nadine Edwards said only 500 of London’s 9,000 buses have air conditioning.

READ ALSO: Bus drivers suffering heat fatigue are a danger to our busy High Road but are not to blame

Members of the Unite union at Arriva North London will walk out from next week, with action affecting eight garages: Barking, Edmonton, Enfield, Grays, Palmers Green, Stamford Hill, Tottenham and Wood Green.

Unite says drivers have suffered heat exhaustion, heat stroke and dehydration this summer, and claims Arriva North London has ‘failed to act’ on repeated complaints about conditions during hot weather. Unite says the bulk of Arriva’s fleet relies on air cooling systems, which are less effective than air conditioning at bringing cab temperatures down.

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.’

Drivers have also been issued with a formal notice they can present to managers on days when cab temperatures become dangerous, asserting their right to stop work.

A Transport for London spokesperson said strike action is expected to affect bus routes in north and some central London, though most of the network will run as normal, and urged passengers to plan ahead. The strikes will coincide with planned closures on the Piccadilly Line in August and September.

Strike dates:

• 14 to 15 August
• 18 to 21 August
• 25 to 28 August
• 4 to 5 September
• 7 to 8 September
• 18 to 19 September
• 21 to 22 September
• 2 to 3 October
• 5 to 6 October
• 16 to 17 October
• 19 to 20 October

A wider Unite survey of more than 2,000 drivers found 48 per cent had experienced a ‘close call’ due to fatigue in the past year.