COMMUTERS were left stranded on Wednesday morning after Arriva buses announced the night before that drivers would once again be striking after rejecting the latest pay offer.

The town centre of Cleckheaton, which would normally be bustling on a beautiful day, was deadly quiet when the Telegraph & Argus visited on Wednesday, with shops and cafés empty, due to the strike action.

Arriva bus depots in Castleford, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Selby and Wakefield were all striking, with limited services, causing severe travel disruption.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Eve, owner of Eve's cafe looking at the lack of customers Eve, owner of Eve's cafe looking at the lack of customers

People in Cleckheaton have been severely impacted by the strike as travel in and out of town is limited. Without buses, locals are having to pay for taxis which have also increased in price due to the hike in fuel prices.

One 79-year-old pensioner told the T&A: “At this point, it’s completely unfair and ridiculous.

“Everyone is a bit short at the moment and we all want a bit more but we’re having to pay extra for taxis.

“We can’t get around for hospital appointments and a lot of people rely on buses here.

“People think pensioners are rich but that’s just not the case, we only get a limited amount of money, and we have to pay for everything from that.

“Someone needs to do something.”

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Empty bus depot-CleckheatonEmpty bus depot-Cleckheaton

A café next to the bus station has suffered immensely from the bus strikes, so much so the owner has offered to drive people to and from the café.

Eve, owner of Eve’s café, said: “Usually at this time it would be full in here but today because of the bus strikes it’s empty.

“It’s impacting our business.

“I was driving people here and back to their homes, but the cost of fuel has made that an issue.

“A lot of people are struggling because of the strikes, and we need buses in a town like this.”

As school holidays have begun for GCSE and A-Level students, many are struggling to get around.

17-year-olds, Jake Nodder, and Spencer Slavin were unable to get to Leeds today because of the buses.

Spencer said: “It’s annoying, we can’t really do anything here and we can’t get out because of the buses.

“Our parents are working so we can’t get lifts either.

“What are we supposed to do?”

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire said: “Like others, I found out about the resumption of the strike on social media just before 6pm.

“I share the frustrations of those who will find getting to school or work difficult in the coming days.”

Later on Wednesday, there was some hope of better days to come for bus passengers.

It was announced by Unite that the bus strike action would be suspended from Friday, July 15 as an ‘act of good faith’.

All-out strike action, involving members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, resumed today after members rejected the company’s latest pay offer.

Unite has received assurances from senior managers at Arriva that a new substantial offer, which could be sufficient to resolve the dispute, was being prepared. Negotiations will begin on Friday.

Unite regional officer Phil Bown said: “As an act of good faith Unite will suspend strike action from this Friday. This should give sufficient space and time for a new offer to be negotiated.”