Passengers on buses across the North East will be impacted for the next seven days after strike action was announced on Tuesday (October 11) on Stagecoach services.

On Monday (October 10), it was announced that the bus provider has received notification from the GMB trade union of their intention to proceed with industrial action.

Confirming the news, the transport company said that the strikes would only impact the Sunderland depot only – but would have a wider impact on buses and bus users across the whole region.

All other Stagecoach depots are unaffected.

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It has been revealed that the dates of strike action will be 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 17, 18 October 2022 – with 200 bus drivers expected to walk out overall.

A reduced timetable will run, between 7.30am and 6pm, on Services X1, 3, 4, 8, 10, 11, 13, 16, 18, 18A, 20, 23, 99, 939, E1, E2 and E6.

On the affected dates, adult single fares will be £1.50.

Services operated on behalf of Nexus and Durham County Council will operate as normal.

A spokesperson for Stagecoach said: “So we can continue to offer links for our local communities, we will be operating a more limited service on the affected days, with buses crewed by volunteers.

"During the dates of strike action, all pre-paid customer tickets will also be accepted for travel on Tyne and Wear Metro within the affected areas.

"We have made what we consider to be a fair and reasonable offer to GMB regarding the pay dispute, and we remain committed to working constructively with officials to deliver pay proposals that are fair to our people, and which also ensure the long-term sustainability of the bus network for local communities.

"Stagecoach apologises for any inconvenience this industrial action may cause.”

The industrial action comes after a ballot which saw 97 per cent of GMB members vote for industrial action on an 83 per cent turnout.

According to GMB, “workers are angry after being offered a massive real terms pay cut of just four per cent, with two per cent to follow later in the year”.

Stuart Gilhespy, GMB organiser, added: “Sunderland bus drivers feel Stagecoach management are operating from some distant planet.

“They are acting as though there is no cost-of-living crisis and no inflation.

"Bosses seem happy to short-change Sunderland’s travelling public and GMB’s hard-working members, who have frankly put their lives on the line for Stagecoach over the last few years.”

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