Bus drivers across Merseyside are set to take part in three days of strike action.
Staff at Stagecoach’s Liverpool depot will begin their walk-outs on Saturday in a dispute over pay while a further three strike dates have also been announced.
The firm’s drivers and engineers are now due to be joined by Arriva North West staff for the planned industrial action on October 19, October 23 and October 30.
It means that bus services in Liverpool will be severely limited on those dates while Arriva’s routes in Wirral and Cheshire will also be disrupted.
Transport unions Unite and GMB balloted its members on strike action over pay disputes but Arriva remain hopeful of holding further talks later this week.
However Rob Jones, Stagecoach Merseyside’s managing director, insists that the company will attempt to minimalise disruption during the days of strike action.
He said: “I would like to reassure all customers that we are doing all we can to ensure that if this further strike action does go ahead, we will be in a position to draft in extra resource and run more services and do what we can to minimise the impact on passengers who rely on our services.”
Saturday’s Stagecoach walkout will see its routes to Liverpool’s game with Manchester United at Anfield stadium affected by possible delays.