Manchester bus services 'badly affected' as strike begins - September 2025

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[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

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Two-thirds of bus services in Greater Manchester, including school buses, will not run from Friday as about 2,000 drivers go on strike over pay.

Transport for Greater Manchester has warned passengers to plan ahead for the strikes, which are set to last until Monday, with tickets being accepted on trams and some trains instead.

Chief network officer Danny Vaughan said while services in Wigan and Bolton would still run, "most of south Manchester and East Manchester will be very badly affected". He said: "There are alternatives for people but they're better off planning ahead and checking on our website to make sure that they can they can get around it when needed."

The Unite union said drivers working for various operators under the publicly controlled Bee Network have rejected pay offers ranging between 3.5 and 6% after months of negotiations.

Regional officer Colin Hayden said: "The strikes this week, as well as the further action we have called, will cause travel chaos in Greater Manchester."

Unite has said further strikes involving Stagecoach, First Bus Rochdale and Metroline staff on Manchester's Bee Network would take place from 30 September to 2 October in addition to this weekend if an agreement is not reached.

Metroline Manchester, Stagecoach Manchester and First Bus Rochdale said they were committed to finding a resolution.

Mr Vaughan said: "Unfortunately for us we can't step in and intervene directly, so pay is a matter for the bus operators with the union. We've been encouraging them all through the pay talks process to try to find an arrangement. Our primary concern is passengers and it's really disappointing to see strikes the first time on the Bee Network."

A full list of affected bus services can be found on the Bee Network website.

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Most bus strikes suspended, says city region mayor

A strike by the majority of Greater Manchester's bus drivers has been suspended, the city region's mayor has said.

Passengers had been warned to face disruption as 2,000 drivers were due to walk out from Tuesday to Thursday.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM^▸ (Transport for Greater Manchester. Devolved body responsible for public transport coordination in the Greater Manchester metropolitan area.)) said drivers from Bee Network operators First and Stagecoach would now work as normal, while it hoped Metroline drivers would also agree to suspend their planned strike action.

Mayor Andy Burnham said the three companies' drivers, who are members of the Unite trade union, would now be balloted.

He said: "We've been working throughout the weekend, doing everything in our power to bring the negotiations between bus operators and union colleagues to a fair resolution. This is positive progress and we're pleased that union colleagues have now agreed to suspend strike action to ballot their members."

He added that "bus drivers deserve a better deal" but it has to be "affordable and sustainable for the Bee Network".

TfGM chief network officer Danny Vaughan the company was "pleased" the strike has been suspended and that "services will run as normal".

About 2,000 drivers took industrial action last week in their ongoing pay dispute.