A PLANNED Bradford bus strike has been called off after an agreement was reached over drivers' safety concerns. 

The strike action was announced in December last year in the face of what the Unite union slammed as "dangerously unsustainable" scheduling by First West Yorkshire.

Nearly 300 out of the 350 bus drivers at the Bowling Back Lane site entitled to vote, opted in favour of strike action against the company’s refusal to restore schedules to pre-pandemic levels.

Unite said traffic and service levels had returned to near normal, but members were still working extended shifts brought in during the initial lockdown.

The union said working patterns were causing fatigue and stress for drivers.

At the time, Paul Matthews, managing director of First West Yorkshire, said: “Unite’s suggestion that our drivers are not fit and healthy to drive and are putting anyone’s safety at risk is outrageous and irresponsible.

"The shifts at our Bradford depot are along the same lines as those already accepted by Unite representatives at all our other depots in West Yorkshire. The safety of our staff and customers is always our first priority and this will remain so.”

He said First was "extremely disappointed" that Unite had decided on strike action "at a time when our efforts are focused on ensuring job security and maintaining services for the travelling public".

“A strike will put all this and the future of the business at risk, disrupt services and harm our ability to get NHS workers to hospitals to help fight coronavirus and save lives," he added. 

"We have worked throughout the pandemic to protect jobs, families and future business continuity.

"At the heart of this isolated dispute is a demand from the Bradford union to restore all pre-Covid working arrangements, which is simply not possible when the health crisis in the country and its impact on bus travel is far from over."

Mr Matthews said "fair proposals" had been agreed with the trade union at the start of the pandemic and in July, and it remained "committed to constructive talks".

In an announcement today, Unite said an agreement had been reached "amicably". 

Under the new agreement, First West Yorkshire will make adjustments to running times to "reflect the return of near-normal amounts of traffic and reduce excessive duty lengths", said the union.

Unite regional officer Darren Rushworth said: “We are pleased that this dispute has been resolved amicably and without the need for industrial action, thanks to the hard work of our members, dispute committee and First West Yorkshire.  
 

“All parties were keen to avoid any further disruption to the public, who have already had to deal with so much because of the pandemic. 

“Being able to utilise a workforce’s collective strength to satisfactorily resolve issues such as this is exactly why workers should join Unite.”

A spokesperson for First Bradford said: “We are pleased that our discussions with Unite have brought an end to plans for industrial action.

"Together with our drivers, we remain focused at this time on continuing to deliver services for key workers and others needing to make essential journeys only as we manage our way out of the pandemic.

“Our plans are to get the Bradford depot running effectively and ready for the challenges in the months ahead and as we build a strong commercial business for the future, serving the communities in Bradford.”