Bus strike: Yorkshire Arriva drivers suspend action for pay deal negotiations

The strike in June saw people without a service for almost four weeks

Strike action by Arriva bus workers in parts of Yorkshire is to be suspended from Friday as negotiations begin on "a new substantial" pay offer.

The Unite union said they would halt the walkout as "an act of good faith".

More than 300 buses were taken off the road on 6 June. Services resumed on 1 July but staff took action again on Wednesday after they rejected an offer.

Arriva UK Bus said it will return to talks with Unite and there will be 14 days notice of any further strikes.

In a statement, Unite said it had "received assurances that a new substantial offer, which could be sufficient to resolve the dispute, was being prepared".

"Negotiations will begin on Friday," a spokesperson said.

Unite regional officer Phil Bown said: "As an act of good faith Unite will suspend strike action from this Friday. This should give sufficient space and time for a new offer to be negotiated."

The latest walkout this week was triggered after just over 53% of staff who took part in the ballot voted to reject the most recent pay offer.

The strike affected 132 routes across West Yorkshire as well as parts of North, South and East Yorkshire.

An Arriva spokesperson said: "We can confirm that Unite have agreed to suspend strike action across Yorkshire [from Friday] whilst we return to talks on a pay offer for Yorkshire members."

Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin said there should be an investigation into public control of bus services

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin said she was reassured that strike action will be suspended, but she was "shocked and disappointed that there was such short notice" about the walkout resuming.

She said: "The anguish was really palpable yesterday when people were so, so disappointed that bus workers were going back out on strike.

"It's good news but it does also suggest that this model [of running bus services] isn't really working. It just makes me realise that the investigation into public control couldn't come soon enough."