Bus Drivers at Local Garages Voting on Strike Action

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Union claims new owner is not honouring previous pay deal

A bus driver picket outside Stamford Brook Garage during the strike in 2022

July 16, 2025

Local bus services could face serious disruption next month if drivers vote in favour of industrial action over pay.

The ballot for 2,000 staff opened this Wednesday 16 July and will close on 11 August. Should workers vote for strike action Unite the Union says they could walk out on the August bank holiday Monday crippling bus services during the Notting Hill Carnival.

The drivers are employed by London United and sister company London Transit which operate from eight depots across West and South West London. These are: Fulwell, Hounslow, Hounslow Heath, Park Royal, Shepherd’s Bush, Stamford Brook, Tolworth and Westbourne Park. Around 90 routes are run from these garages.

The ballot has been called due to a claim that not all elements of the new pay offer are being backdated to their pay anniversary in December by the company’s new owner. This would mean drivers losing out on hundreds of pounds of back pay after First Bus bought the company earlier this year from RATP.

One of the subsidiaries involved, London United, is also attempting to change the pay anniversary of some workers and is refusing to reinstate shift work premiums for others according to the union.

The routes likely to be affected are as follows (full list at end of article):

Shepherd’s Bush (“S”)
Operates TfL routes 49, 70, 72, 94, 148, C1, and night service N72

Fulwell (Twickenham/Stanley Road)
TfL-contracted routes operating from Fulwell include the 33 (to Hammersmith), 267 (to Hammersmith), 281 (Hounslow–Tolworth, 24h), 290 (Staines–Twickenham), 481 (Isleworth–Kingston), 681 (school service Teddington–Hounslow), and night routes N22 and N33

Hounslow Heath (London United “WK” depot)
This garage runs routes 105 (24h), 116, 235, 423, H22, and H91 under TfL contracts

Hounslow (original “AV” garage) and Hounslow Heath are separate; Hounslow itself runs routes 110, 117, 203, 419, 696, 697, 698, H22, H37, and H98

Park Royal
The garage manages routes 18 (Sudbury & Harrow Road–Euston, with night service N18), 220, 224, and the 24‑hour 220, plus night N18

Stamford Brook (“V”)
From here run routes 218, 272, 283, 440, and E3 under TfL

Tolworth (“TV”)
This garage operates routes 85 (24h), 293, 406, 411, 418, 467, school routes 613, 662, 665, and local routes K1, K2, K4, and K5

Westbourne Park
Currently operates route 23 (Westbourne Park station–Aldwych, 24h) and route 31 (White City–Camden Town, daily)

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said, "This is underhand and disgraceful behaviour from a company making millions off London bus passengers. To try and refuse to pay money owed since December shows an utter lack of respect for its workers and the hard work they do day in, day out.

"Our members won't stand for such behaviour and Unite will back them all the way in this dispute with a company that has a history of anti-worker behaviour."

Unite regional officer Callum Rochford added, "Our members do an incredibly difficult job - whether it's driving buses in rush hour in London, keeping buses running or managing routes and timetables. Yet their employer is trying to deny hundreds of pounds of back pay and mess around with their anniversary dates in a cheap attempt to weaken union negotiations.

"Workers can see through these tactics and won't stand for them. London United and London Transit need to come back to the table, pay what's right and end this dispute now before they ruin Carnival."

We have requested comment from First Bus and TfL.

Services Operated by London United
Route number		Route name	Garage
13	North Finchley – Victoria		Westbourne Park
18	Sudbury – Euston		Park Royal
23	Westbourne Park – Hammersmith		Westbourne Park
33	Fulwell, South Road - Lonsdale Road, Castelnau		Fulwell
49	White City - Clapham Junction		Shepherd’s Bush
65	Kingston – Ealing Broadway Station		Fulwell
70	Chiswick Business Park – South Kensington		Shepherd’s Bush
71	Kingston – Chessington		Fulwell
72	East Acton - Hammersmith Bridge, North Side		Shepherd’s Bush
85	Kingston – Putney Bridge		Tolworth
94	Acton Green – Piccadilly Circus		Shepherd’s Bush
105	Heathrow Airport Central - Greenford		Hounslow Heath
110	Hounslow Bus Station – Hammersmith Bus Station		Hounslow
116	Hounslow Bus Station – Ashford Hospital		Hounslow Heath
117	West Middlesex Hospital – Staines		Hounslow
148	White City – Camberwell		Shepherd’s Bush
203	Hounslow – Staines		Hounslow
211	Hammersmith Bus Station - Waterloo Station		Stamford Brook
216	Staines – Kingston		Fulwell
218	North Acton – Hammersmith		Stamford Brook
220	Willesden Junction Station – Wandsworth		Park Royal
223	Wembley Central Station - Harrow Bus Station		Park Royal
224	Alperton - St Raphaels		Park Royal
228	Central Middlesex Hospital – Maida Hill		Park Royal
235	North Brentford Quarter - Sunbury Village		Hounslow Heath
258	South Harrow Station - Watford Junction		Park Royal
266	Acton, Town Hall - Brent Cross		Park Royal
272	Chiswick– Shepherd's Bush Green		Stamford Brook
281	Hounslow – Tolworth		Fulwell
283	East Acton – Hammersmith, Bus Station		Stamford Brook
290	Staines Bus Station - Twickenham Station		Fulwell
293	Morden Station - Epsom General Hospital		Tolworth
371	Richmond (Manor Circus) – Kingston		Fulwell
406	Epsom – Kingston via Ewell		Tolworth
411	West Molesey – Kingston		Tolworth
418	Epsom – Kingston via West Ewell		Tolworth
419	Richmond - Roehampton, Bessborough Road		Hounslow
423	Hounslow – Heathrow Airport (Terminal 5)		Hounslow Heath
440	Turnham Green - Wembley Stadium		Park Royal
465	Dorking – Kingston		Tolworth
467	Hook – Ewell – Epsom		Tolworth
613	Tolworth - Glenthorne School		Tolworth
639	Roehampton - St John Bosco College		Tolworth
655	Mitcham to Raynes Park High School		Tolworth
662	Surbiton Station - Holy Cross School		Tolworth
665	Berrylands Road - Holy Cross School		Tolworth
670	Roehampton - St John Bosco College		Tolworth
681	Hounslow – Teddington School		Fulwell
696	Hayes – Ruislip		Hounslow Heath
697	Hayes End – Ickenham		Hounslow Heath
C1	Victoria - White City		Shepherd’s Bush
E3	Chiswick - Greenford Broadway		Stamford Brook
H17	Harrow – Wembley Central Station		Park Royal
H22	Hounslow (Bell Corner) – West Middlesex Hospital		Hounslow
H37	Hounslow (Blenheim Centre) – Richmond (Manor Circus)		Hounslow
H98	Hounslow – Hayes End (Kingsway)		Hounslow
K1	New Malden Station – Kingston		Tolworth
K2	Hook Library – Kingston Hospital		Tolworth
K3	Roehampton Vale Asda - Esher High Street		Fulwell
K4	Mansfield Estate – Kingston Hospital		Tolworth
K5	Ham – Morden		Tolworth
KU1	Seething Wells - Roehampton Vale		Hounslow Heath
KU2	Clayhill Campus – Clayhill Campus (looped service)		Hounslow Heath
KU3	Seething Wells Campus – Roehampton Vale Campus		Hounslow Heath
N5	Edgware Station - Trafalgar Square		Edgware
N18	Trafalgar Square - Sudbury - Harrow Weald		Park Royal
N33	Fulwell - Hammersmith		Fulwell
N65	Chessington - Ealing Broadway		Fulwell
N72	Roehampton – East Acton		Shepherd’s Bush
N266	Hammersmith - Brent Cross		Park Royal

 

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