Potential strike action by drivers

There could be disruption ahead for passengers in Somerset as a union ballots bus drivers over whether to take strike action.

More than 1,000 drivers working for First West of England could walk out after rejecting a pay offer described as ‘unsatisfactory’.

If members of Unite the Union, which has urged the operator to come back with an improved offer, vote to strike, then this could affect services in Bath, Wells, and Weston-super-Mare.

Doug Claringbold, managing director at First West of England, said: ‘Our above-inflation pay offer reflects the value we put on colleagues, and demonstrates our commitment to protecting staff from the rising cost of living — even in the challenging financial environment we operate in.’