First Bus: Strike action confirmed after last minute talks fail - list of services which will be running

First Bus drivers and supervisors from Solent who are members of Unite the Union intend to take industrial action in Portsmouth, Gosport and Fareham on December 19, 21, 24 and 26 following a dispute over pay and conditions.

Key services including the city’s Park and Ride and the route to the hovercraft are expected to continue as normal, but timetable changes have been brought in for other services. First Solent has also said school and college services will also operate, although the strikes will take place during the school holidays.

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It comes after Unite rejected a four per cent pay deal and expressed anger that First had refused to reinstate terms and conditions which were removed during the Covid pandemic.

However First has told The News that it had offered a 7.8 per cent pay increase as part of talked through the mediators ACAS which union members have also rejected.

A Solent from First Bus spokesperson, said: “In a final attempt to prevent industrial action taking place over the festive period, we met with Unite again on Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 December, and ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) acting as mediation.

“Throughout the negotiation process we have taken on Unite member feedback and made a number of offers in order to try and settle this dispute, to ensure customers are not affected by strike action.

“Our final no strings offer of 7.8% (including other enhancements) represented a 35.9% pay increase since 2021. Unite told us today they would give members the opportunity to have their say via ballot, without a recommendation to either accept or reject to allow staff to make their own choice. However, we are bitterly disappointed to learn that Unite in fact recommended members reject the offer, in direct contrast to what they told us in negotiations.

“They have decided to proceed with planned industrial action, before staff have the chance to have their say. We have reminded them of the timing of the strikes and that ultimately, it is our customers who are going to suffer unnecessarily over the festive period.

"We would like to sincerely apologise for the disruption this unnecessary action will cause. We know people will have essential appointments and will want to visit family and so we will do all we can using staff from other areas to keep as many services running as possible.”

Buses operated by Stagecoach are unaffected.

The News has invited Unite to comment.

How will the strikes affect services?

First Solent has said it expect the following services to run or be reduced on December 19, 21, 24 and 26.

• First Bus expects routes 2, 7, 8, 22, Hoverbus (H1), the Portsmouth Park & Ride (PR1) and Portsmouth University U1 and U2 service to operate as normal.
• School and College services PC1, PC2, RED, SD4, SD5 and SD7 are expected to operate as normal.
• A reduced and limited service is planned to operate on routes 3, 5, E1 and E2
• Route 3 will operate between Fareham and Cosham Health Centre only every 20 minutes between approx. 7am and 6pm. Passengers travelling to/from Portsmouth should use services 7 and 8 and change at Cosham.
• Route 5 will operate hourly between approx. 7am and 6pm.
• Routes E1 and E2 will each operate half hourly between approx. 7am and 6pm, with a combined 15-minute frequency between Fareham and Fort Brockenhurst.
• First anticipates operating the Boxing Day service as advertised, but routes 1, 3, E1 and E2 may be subject to short notice cancellations.
• All services may be subject to change at short notice and passengers should check before travelling.