Commuters faced more misery today as bus drivers walked out in a row over pay - and warned more strikes could follow.

As the district tried to get back to normal after the week-long fuel crisis, drivers with First Bradford voted overwhelmingly to stop work from midnight last night.

And there will be no buses until midnight tonight as many of thecompany's 430 drivers refused to work.

For commuters the strike was disastrous as they turned to public transport after running low on petrol. First Bradford managing director Andy Campbell said the strike was most "regrettable" in the current climate.

With so many buses off the roads, schools were hit too. Nab Wood secondary school had to shut because there were no buses for pupils.

Other bus companies, like Keighley and District, were operating as normal.

The First Bradford management and the Transport and General Workers Union - which represents the bus drivers - have been locked in talks for weeks about rates of pay which means workers with long service earn far more than newcomers.

The staff say the difference dates back to bus privatisation in the 1980s and have rejected the latest offer because they say it does not address the problem properly.

But the company said it had offered a pay rise between three and four per cent and a structure which allows people to work up to the top rates.

The strike comes less than two months after First Bradford launched its controversial 'Overground' bus services, modelled on the London Underground.

Dozens of petitions signed by thousands of people have been submitted to the company protesting about changes in service.

First Bradford has now brought in market researchers to assess the new system and look at any problems.

Today managing director Andy Campbell said: "The strike is most regrettable, particularly with the current fuel difficulties as most of Bradford will have little alternative but to stay at home. This will obviously have a detrimental effect on most of the Bradford community."

He was today having urgent talks with regional TGWU official, Ronnie Morrison, but it was too late to stop today's strike.

Mr Campbell said he hoped they could reach a settlement which would prevent any further stoppages.

All First Bradford buses - including school services - are off the road and a 24- hour picket line is operating at the Bowling Back Lane bus headquarters.

Yesterday's postal ballot was secret, but the Telegraph & Argus understands that 329 drivers rejected the offer and voted for a series of strikes. Only 36 wanted to accept it.

Mr Campbell said: "It is the worst possible time to have an industrial dispute and we are very disappointed that it can't be reversed."

But Mr Morrison claimed he asked Mr Campbell for advance talks but he had not responded.

"I offered to try to avert a strike but the ballot has been that we go ahead with the strike. I hope a settlement can be reached."

But a driver who did not want to be named said there was strong feeling among crews about "aggressive management" and the stoppage was not purely about pay.

He said: "The crews didn't want this but there wasn't much attempt by the management to try to solve it. they have made no offer which solves the problems."

Today, there was support for the striking drivers.

Katherine Smith, from Pudsey, said: "From what I've read they are striking over discrepancies in their pay, so I am sympathetic," she said.

And Gary Firth, 24, from Tyersal, had to arrange to share a taxi with a colleague in order to get to Bradford city centre. "This is costing me money, because I am an agency worker for BT Cellnet it's vital I get to work on time," he said. "But I have a lot of sympathy with the striking bus drivers, and I think their grievances should come first."

Mr Campbell said First Huddersfield, First Leeds and First Halifax services would travel to and from Bradford as normal.

But Mr Morrison said he expected crews to carry only the long distance passengers and not to take people from short, local stops.

Keighley & District Transport and Arriva services are operating normally.

Information is available from First Bradford on (01274) 734833, 759538, 759512, 759505.

Bosses at the Arriva bus company, which runs services between Bradford and Kirklees, were keen to reassure passengers that their services were still running - despite fuel shortages.

Services between Bradford and Dewsbury, via Batley, Cleckheaton, Heckmondwike, and Bierley would all run as normal.