A MASS bus drivers' strike has put a halt to Arriva services across the North West today.

Around 2,000 drivers and engineers from depots across the region have staged the first of three planned walkouts today, after pay negotiations broke down.

Dozens of workers are picketing outside the Arriva depot in Folds Road, near Bolton town centre, where 130 drivers and engineers are on strike.

No Arriva bus services are running in Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Lancashire or Cheshire today — including the 510 Bolton to Bury and 575 and 574 services to Wigan.

Neil Clarke, Unite union regional organiser, said: "Arriva is articulating that it is offering a fair and reasonable pay rise, but they have tried to develop a culture whereby a vastly profitable company expects its workers to take a cost of living decrease year on year.

"They are expecting our members to take a real terms pay and living standards cut, but the company directors are doing very, very well.

"You can't just be struggling at the bottom, there is a contradiction there.

"The people on the picket lines are the ones who bring in the revenue, yet they are being asked to take a pay rise that does not keep pace with the cost of living.

"The employer could have easily afforded to resolve this issue, but they made a decision not to.

"They don't have the desire to resolve this, but they do have the ability."

He added that Unite members will remain open to 'reasonable negotiation'.

Phil Stone, managing director for Arriva North West said: “It is disappointing that following a further meeting with Unite and GMB and two improved offers being made they are proceeding with disruptive strike action. We believe that we have tabled a fair pay deal for our drivers in the region.

“Arriva North West wholeheartedly apologises to our customers for the disruption this strike action will cause to their journeys. However we can confirm that Arriva customers with pre-paid tickets travelling in Merseyside will be able to use them on the Merseyrail network, and that all Arriva tickets will be accepted on the Stagecoach Quality Network Routes.

“We remain committed to working together with UNITE and GMB to reach a mutually acceptable outcome, however any pay increase has to be sustainable for the business going forward. We are urging our trade union colleagues to reconsider their position and get back round the negotiating table and call off the strike action that will unnecessarily disrupt many thousands of passengers.”

Further strike days are also planned for October 23 and 30.