Go North East bus strike: Council boss threatens financial penalties

Martin Gannon said the strike was a "disgrace"

A politician who oversees public transport has said financial penalties should be imposed on a bus company facing an indefinite strike.

Drivers for Go North East (GNE) are taking industrial action over pay, causing widespread disruption.

Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon said the dispute was "an absolute disgrace" and public money should be withheld until it was resolved.

GNE said it was doing "everything possible" to end the strike.

Drivers and other members of the Unite union are in the second week of a continuous strike which has resulted in the cancellation of almost all GNE buses, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

The union has rejected a 10.3% offer and further negotiations to settle the dispute on Monday broke down.

The company said it had made a fair offer but Mr Gannon, who chairs the North East Joint Transport Committee, said local authorities paid GNE "many many millions" for concessionary fares and to subsidise unprofitable routes.

"I will be making sure that every possible financial penalty is applied for non-delivery," he said.

'Aggressive communications'

Mr Gannon told the LDRS: "Thousands of people are stuck at home, isolated from friends and family, missing work and medical appointments or being late for college.

"I've heard about people staying with friends so that they are near their work. Some people are having to shell out repeatedly for expensive taxis just to go about their daily lives, or to beg friends and neighbours for a lift." 

Mr Gannon said GNE should "stop putting out aggressive communications and instead roll up its sleeves - today, right now - and work constructively with its employees and their trade union to get the buses running again tomorrow".

He also called for the company to be excluded from £163.5m government funding awarded to boost the area's bus network.

"Go North East should not receive a penny of this improvement funding until they are providing a bus service worthy of the name," he said.

GNE said it remained "committed to dialogue with Unite and we would like to see an end to this strike for the sake of drivers, our customers and our communities".

A spokesperson said: "In the meantime, we are working closely with local authorities to operate 80 buses that ensure children can get to school and nurses can get to hospitals."