The latest talks between Arriva and striking bus workers have broken down.
Large parts of Merseyside continue to be affected by the absence of public transport as a result of the walkout, which is now in its 17th consecutive day.
The Unite and GMB unions which represent striking staff held talks on Friday with transport bosses in hopes of improving their current 8.5% pay rise offer.
But those negotiations hit an impasse, with a Unite representative confirming that Arriva had ‘failed to make an offer which met members’ expectations’.
In response, Arriva spokesperson said: “Despite further negotiations today and having done all we can to make another improved offer, the Unions have once again chosen to walk away, causing further misery for our passengers.
“At this point, we are left questioning why they refuse to give their members the opportunity to vote on our offers, which would make our drivers the highest paid in the region.
“We would like to apologise to our passengers for the ongoing disruption that this dispute is causing to their everyday lives.
“On our side, we are acting in good faith and doing all we can to find a resolution.
“We urge Unite and GMB to do the same, reconsider their position, call an end to inappropriate strike action and give their members the opportunity to ballot on our latest offers.”
Last month Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson wrote to Arriva’s CEO Mike Cooper urging him to improve the company’s ‘pitiful’ offer to its workers.
She also claimed the transport giant was ‘choosing to prioritise profits over supporting their hard-working workforce that connect our communities’.