The political leaders of the Liverpool City Region have called on Arriva bosses to act urgently and end the long-running bus strike across the region.
On the 23rd day of continuous strikes across the Arriva network, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson and council leaders and Members of Parliament from across the region have come together in a joint call for action from the major bus operator that will end the strike and get buses back on the streets of Merseyside.
It is a significant intervention and a sign of how crucial the impact of the ongoing strikes are seen. Many in the region are effectively without access to public transport at present, with no Arriva buses available across the entire region.
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The letter makes it clear the political leaders believe the onus is on Arriva to act and end the dispute. They are calling on the 'highest level' of Arriva Group's management to now get involved in the negotiations that up until now have not resulted in an offer that the unions representing the drivers have found acceptable.
Below is the letter in full:
We are writing to you regarding the ongoing industrial dispute between Arriva NorthWest and the Unite and GMB trade unions. At the time of writing, swathes of the Liverpool City Region have been without Arriva services for 22 days. This is having a significant impact not only on people’s day-today lives but on the local economy too.
In ordinary times, 82% of all public transport journeys in our region are taken by bus. That’s around 400,000 journeys every day.
As you will know, your company is responsible for around two-thirds of that network .During an escalating cost of living crisis, this prolonged lack of services is hitting our residents hard.
People are missing appointments, struggling to get to work, to see loved ones, and choosing to not visit some of the great attractions that our visitor economy has to offer. Many simply cannot afford the cost of taxis.
With September fast approaching, bringing with it the return of schools, colleges and universities, we are deeply concerned at the disruption that might be caused – not only to people’s ability to get about but to our young people’s education too.
The economic consequences are all too real, with people unable to travel freely, local businesses are being impacted too. The summertime period is usually a busy and profitable one, especially for our visitor economy. With local residents and tourists alike unable to easily reach bars, restaurants and other attractions, many are seeing a reduction in footfall. Liverpool 1 saw a 19% decline in visitor numbers during the first week of the strike, for example.
Pre-pandemic, our visitor economy was worth around £5bn, supporting around 55,000 jobs. Covid understandably meant that it took a massive hit, but the past 12months have seen it start to recover, with revenues back up to around £3.58bn –although recovery remains fragile at this stage.
The last time bus strikes such as these took place in our region, people settled into other modes of travel and bus patronage took well over a year to return to pre-strike levels. Given the length and severity of this disruption, it is fair to wonder what the medium-term impacts might be should it continue for much longer.
In the past decade, Arriva has taken £560 million in dividends paid to its parent company back in Germany. So far, though, it has failed to table an offer that the trade unions feel is suitable to take back to their members. Given the overwhelming mandate this action received, it is clear that no subsequent offers have moved discussions forward.
At this stage, we believe that this impasse requires intervention at a more senior level. Given that this dispute has become so significant and that Arriva’s bus operations in the Liverpool City Region and the wider North West are such a large and key part of Arriva’s UK and international business, we are calling on the highest levels of Arriva Group’s management to get involved in the negotiations to find an appropriate, swift and agreeable conclusion to this dispute.
Were this dispute taking place in London, we have little doubt that it would be receiving much greater attention, not only in the national press but within your organisation too. A major British city region has been without two-thirds of its bus network for almost a month while there seems to be a lack of urgency to bring it to a resolution.
The letter is signed by:
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region
Joanne Anderson, Mayor of Liverpool
Cllr David Baines, Leader of St Helens Council
Cllr Ian Maher, Leader of Sefton Council
Cllr Graham Morgan, Leader of Knowsley Council
Cllr Mike Wharton, Leader of Halton Council
Cllr Janette Williamson, Leader of Wirral Council
Mike Amesbury, MP for Weaver Vale
Paula Barker, MP for Liverpool Wavertree
Ian Byrne, MP for Liverpool West Derby
Dan Carden, MP for Liverpool Walton
Peter Dowd, MP for Bootle
Angela Eagle, MP for Wallasey
Maria Eagle, MP for Garston & Halewood
Bill Esterson, MP for Sefton Central
George Howarth, MP for Knowsley
Kim Johnson, MP for Liverpool Riverside
Conor McGinn, MP for St Helens North
Alison McGovern, MP for Wirral South
Marie Rimmer, MP for St Helens South & Whiston
Mick Whitley, MP for Birkenhead
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