First Group bus drivers to stage five-day walkout from today

Drivers at First Group depots in Weymouth and Bridport have voted to strike over pay and conditions.

All routes will be affected including the X54 from Poole to Weymouth and the X55 between Littlesea Haven Holiday Centre, Weymouth, Osmington, Lulworth Cove, Wool and Bovington Tank Museum.

The industrial action was set to start at 4am this morning and end at 3.59am on Saturday, June 25.

The strike comes after months of negotiation between First Dorset and representatives from Unite the Union in an attempt to reach a pay settlement.

An offer of resolution with ACAS made by First Dorset was not taken up by Unite.

Marc Reddy, managing director of First Dorset, said, "I'm extremely disappointed Unite is going ahead with strike action despite our best efforts to try to reach a formal settlement through ACAS.

"This action is totally unnecessary and will cause great hardship to our customers who rely on our services daily to get them to work, to school or college, to attend hospital and doctors’ appointments or job interviews.”

"We are currently drawing up contingency plans to operate services in the event that strike action cannot be avoided and will offer our customers more information in advance of Monday, June 20.

"In the meantime, I'd urge Unite officials to get back round the table and recommence discussions so that we can resolve issues and spare our customers significant inconvenience."

Jackie Isbell, chairman of the First Dorset customer panel, said: "The strike action hasn't been taken lightly by the members of Unite.

"For over a year, the union has been trying to negotiate with First and hopefully they can get around the table and try and resolve this.

"First are doing their best to get all routes covered and, at the last strike, there was hardly any disruption to services.

"Let's hope this is the same this time.

"I would urge members of the public not to physically or verbally attack any member of First Dorset staff."