HUNDREDS of First bus drivers were set to walk out in Bradford today for a 48-hour strike.
A total of 380 staff members from the First Bradford depot in Bowling Back Lane were due to stop work at 1.30am after 11th hour talks broke down.
They were expected to picket outside the depot throughout the strike.
A meeting between Unite union officials and the Advisory Conciliation And Arbitration Service (ACAS) in Leeds last Thursday could not settle the dispute.
Unite union members said the primary reason for the action is the transfer of part of the 576 bus service from Bradford to Halifax which it says has cost eight jobs. But First deny this allegation.
First say dozens of services, including more than 40 school services, will not be running in the district.
But they hope to run a limited service on key corridors in Bradford, including Bradford Interchange to Bradford Royal Infirmary and Manningham Lane.
The strike will finish at 1.29am on Wednesday.
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