(27 Oct 2023, 3:50 pm)Rob44 wrote From the chronicle
However, customer services director Huw Lewis wrote in a note to stakeholders that this “has not been possible as there are not enough vehicles and drivers to be able to cover such a large commercial bus network in the region”.
Alistair Ford, of the North East Public Transport Users Group, added that he was “very concerned by the highly-disruptive impact these strikes are having”. He said: “ We urge the bus company and the union to engage seriously to resolve the dispute as soon as possible.
"We also, however, understand the concerns of bus drivers and their demand for an improved pay offer. Bus driving is a skilled profession and wages should reflect that. Lothian Buses in Edinburgh, owned by local councils, pays their drivers up to £18 an hour compared to the £14 being offered by Go North East. Our transport system and the safety of passengers relies on a well-paid and well-trained workforce if it is to be sustainable in the future."
Interesting that they've looked at other operators coving routes and found it wouldn't be feedable to do.
Also Scottish bus drivers get 18 ph!!!
The cost of living in and around Edinburgh is exceptionally high, being ranked the third most expensive metropolis in which to reside on a solo basis. Such a seemingly high hourly rate will not take many drivers far, especially if they live alone.
What is more surprising is how such a seemingly high rate compares to those enjoyed/endured by those in Aberdeen, where First pay a top rate of £12.24 and Stagecoach starts from £12.35. The cost of living and working in Aberdeen is significantly higher than what we experience here, due to the oil and gas industry and its impact on the local property market, yet their drivers are paid less. I reckon most drivers residing in Aberdeen proper either bought their homes prior to the 2010s or are renters whom have resigned themselves to never experiencing home ownership.