Expect disruption to the River Festival after Bedford bus drivers call strike in pay rise row

If you live in Bedford, Wootton, Flitwick or Ampthill – or even if you’re hoping to travel to Luton, Stevenage or St Neots – you’re out of luck as drivers will be joining the picket on:

July 9-13

July 19-23 (the River Festival weekend)

August 2-3

August 5-6

Union Unite claims the new offer comes with “strings attached” which would mean sick pay reduced plus no offer of backdated pay.

In a statement from Unite, it said drivers at Cambus – a subsidiary of Stagecoach – earn £13.46 per hour while other companies in the area are already paying over £15.

Stagecoach is offering a 15.14% pay increase over two years with 11.16% in the first year.

Darren Roe, managing director of Stagecoach East, said: “We are disappointed our pay offer has been rejected by the Bedford driving team. We believe the industrial action called by Unite union is unnecessary.

"We are committed to offering good pay packages for our people and remain open for talks with Unite. However, at the same time we have to think about the future of the bus network and the implications that higher pay demands have on the cost and scope of the services we offer the local community.”

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Instead of making a fair and proper pay offer, Cambus is now messing with our members with these absurd ‘strings attached’ offers. This is a company making millions and it is short-changing its workers, without whom it wouldn’t have a service.”

Unite regional officer Mark Plumb added: “Cambus needs to start valuing its workers and understanding their sense of frustration at being the lowest paid drivers in the region. Instead it is making absurd demands about reducing sick pay and overtime while demanding more and more of its drivers. Our workers aren’t going to stand for it anymore and will demonstrate their level of anger on the picket line next week.”