It comes as drivers demand a pay riseDan Haygarth Liverpool Daily Post Editor and Regeneration Reporter
15:34, 12 Aug 2025Updated 17:37, 12 Aug 2025
A Stagecoach bus in Birkenhead(Image: Dan Haygarth / Liverpool ECHO)
Bus drivers could walk out on strike in Merseyside in a row over pay. Stagecoach drivers based in Birkenhead are among 500 in the North West balloting for strike action, according to trade union Unite.
The workers in Birkenhead, Preston and Chorley are demanding a pay rise that reflects disparities between their pay and drivers in the same areas, the union said. Unite claimed that Arriva drivers in Birkenhead earn £2.69 an hour more than Birkenhead Stagecoach drivers and £2.13 an hour more than Stagecoach drivers in Chorley and Preston.
The workers are being balloted for strike until August 28. If the ballot is successful, industrial action will be scheduled soon after. Stagecoach said it has made a pay offer to the workers, which has been rejected, and it wishes to avoid industrial action.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Stagecoach can well afford to put forward an offer that tackles the unfair pay disparities that exist not only between different companies but different garages at the same firm.
“Unite will be providing maximum support to our Stagecoach members at Birkenhead, Chorley and Preston.”
A Stagecoach bus in Liverpool city centre(Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)
Unite regional officer Mike Woods added: “There is still time to avoid strike action but that requires Stagecoach to put forward an offer our members can accept.”
Matt Davies, Managing Director of Stagecoach Merseyside, Cheshire and South Lancashire said: “We have met with the trade union representatives, who have rejected our offer that would see pay rise at our Birkenhead Rock Ferry depot by over 4% during the first year and then by a further 2.9% in a second year, shortened to nine months.”
“The union have also rejected our offer of a 3.2% pay rise covering 12 months with a further 3.2% from May next year. This would ensure that our Preston and Chorley sites continue to offer the highest hourly rates in Lancashire.
“We remain committed to ensuring that drivers do receive an affordable pay increase and are keen to hold further talks and reach a resolution.
“We want to avoid industrial action, which is damaging to everyone and causes severe disruption to the daily lives of our customers.
“Any industrial action would not affect services running from the Gillmoss depot, which would continue to operate as normal.”
Stagecoach is one of a number of bus operators in the Liverpool City Region. Peoples’ Bus, Arriva, HTL Buses and Cumfy Bus also operate services.
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