London bus strikes called off as agreement reached to fit buses with air conditioning units
The deal will see air conditioning units fitted across all Arriva London North buses by May 2027 by Transport for London
A planned strike by 1,500 London bus drivers has been called off after a deal was reached with their employer to fit air conditioning units in buses.
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Members of Unite employed by Arriva London had been due to strike again on 7 September over sweltering working conditions in the heat.
The deal will see air conditioning units fitted across all Arriva London North buses by May 2027 by Transport for London, Unite said.
At present, most buses operated by Arriva London North have air cooling systems rather than more effective air conditioning.
According to Unite, air cooling is only able to reduce temperatures by around two or three degrees during heatwaves.
Read more: Bus drivers strike as extreme cab heat poses risk of 'fatal crashes'
Members of the union had voted to walk out on 26 days from August to October, affecting 43 routes across London and Essex.
Drivers based at Barking, Edmonton, Enfield, Grays, Palmers Green, Stamford Hill, Tottenham and Wood Green, voted to take industrial action in August.
According to the agreement, drivers will now only be required to drive a bus for 35 minutes if it lacks working air conditioning, before it is stopped and returned to the garage, so that "drivers are not simply expected to sweat it out".
The 35-minute limit will also apply to heating systems during colder temperatures, where previously drivers needed to be out for at least an hour if heaters were broken.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham hailed the deal as a "landmark win".
She added: "Unite is determined that the conditions of bus drivers are improved in London and beyond. We expect bus operators to treat workers with dignity and respect and will be ensuring that this happens."
Despite the deal, Unite has not cancelled its strike agreement which will be in place for 11 months to "hold Arriva to account should it renege on commitments or there are delays to fitting air conditioning".
Unite national lead officer Onay Kasab said: “This is an excellent win for our members, who stood together on picket lines to fight for and win an agreement that means that drivers are not simply expected to sweat it out.
“We have secured an agreement with concrete immediate measures, ongoing action to ensure repairs are carried out in a timely fashion and a target for fitting all buses with air conditioning. Unite members have once again shown the value of collective union action.”
Wasim Mohammed, Managing Director Arriva London, said: “We welcome the outcome of the ballot, in which Unite members voted not to proceed with further strike action in North London.
"We are pleased to have reached an agreement that addresses concerns, supports our colleagues and avoids further disruption for Londoners.
“The safety and wellbeing of our colleagues and customers will always be our top priority, and we will continue to work closely with Transport for London, Unite and other London operators through TfL’s extreme weather taskforce to tackle the impact of climate change.”