NEWS
CT Plus drivers conf_irm
further strike action
Weekend talks postpone strike transport side of things will go on
planned for drivers at East as normal.
London Bus Group “Only about 27% of staff
balloted agreed to strike, and we
Thousands of Unite members will not know until the day how
working for London bus many want to come to work.”
operators, CT Plus and the East Len McCluskey, Unite assistant
London Bus Group (ELBG) voted general secretary, who addressed
Seven Coastal Coaches drivers have now achieved ‘NVQ 2 in to take part in a 24 hour strike a conference of all London bus
Passenger Carrying Vehicles driving (Bus & Coach)’. Whilst from 3am today (Wednesday) in a reps last week and pledged the
achieving this qualif_ication the drivers have also obtained 21 hours bid to win a better pay deal from support of the union to bus
towards their Drivers CPC. The theory training was undertaken their employers. workers in their struggles for fair
at Transtech Manchester College, and the practical assessments Unite, which has been in pay, said: “I hope that CT Plus
were undertaken at Coastal’s own premises in Warton, Nr Preston, discussions with the ELBG since too will realise the determination
Lancashire. James Crook-Williams, business development manager, April, said it was dismayed as of Unite to reach a negotiated
said: “We have found the team at Transtech very helpful, ensuring that ELBG decided it would impose settlement, and that this requires
the training f_itted in between our work commitments. Training is a key a pay freeze. However, officials a clear message from them
element of our company as this ensures that we continue to provide our met at the weekend in a further that they are prepared to make
clients with a top quality standard of service.” attempt to resolve the dispute, progress.”
Coastal’s next group of ten drivers have just started their NVQ and and an offer was made which is The strike at the ELBG was set
CPC training and hope to achieve their qualif_ications by April 2010. set to go to a ballot on December to affect 58 routes and about 750
Pictured are the group of seven drivers. 18, and so the strike has been buses across East London and the
postponed. City including night buses. The
CT Plus, part of the HCT Group, ELBG employs 2,600 workers, of
Metrobus says goodbye
is preparing itself for a strike which 2,400 are Unite members.
which will affect all its London The garages affected would
to step-entrance deckers
red bus routes. Unite is warning have been at Barking, Bow,
CT Plus, which is expanding in Leyton, Romford, Upton Park
London and throughout the UK, and West Ham. A spokesman for
Go-Ahead subsidiary, Metrobus oldest of these vehicles dates that it cannot expect its success ELBG told CBW: “We are pleased
will achieve a 100% low floor fleet from 2003. to be built on the back of a low they are considering our offer
of over 400 vehicles when the last Along with a batch of 1997 wage culture. and hope there will be no further
step-entrance double deckers are Olympians with East Lancashire A spokesman for CT Plus told need for any action.”
withdrawn from the provincial Pyoneer two-door bodywork, CBW: “We’re disappointed it has The 24-hour stoppage will
fleet, by the end of the month. which are already off the got to this stage. Olympic Park affect the following CT Plus
Scania Omnidekkas cascaded operational fleet, the Olympians services will not be affected services on 153, 388, 394 and
from the London operation will are being offered for sale. and much of the community W13 TFL routes.
replace 1996 Volvo Olympians Go-Ahead’s link with this type
with Northern Counties Palatine 1 of chassis goes back 24 years to
single door bodywork, and create its independent days when the
a Scania-based double decker first new bus to join the fleet was
CPT acts to keep
It understands, however,
that HMRC plans to stipulate
fleet, at the Crawley depot. The a ECW-bodied Leyland Olympian.
subsidies for
that subsidies for bus services
by employers must be specific
green travel
to routes likely to be used for
travelling to work by their
plans tax-free
employers, and only tickets
restricted to these services will
be able to be included in schemes
CPT has learned that HM Revenue where employees get them for
and Customs plans to clarify its nothing, or at a reduced price, as
guidance on the tax treatment a tax-free benefit. This is regarded
of subsidies to bus services for as a significant step backwards
employees, provided as part of for the industry, and for people
green travel plans. who are in schemes built around
N
The CPT says that it has been workplace green travel plans.
R
MA quite common for schemes The CPT has written to
O
to allow employees to take transport minister Sadiq Khan
E
R N
G
travelcard-type area tickets as a asking him to intervene to ensure
R
O
benefit without incurring a tax that the government does not
Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties decker in service liability. introduce this restriction.
14 CBW December 16, 2009
News14.indd 14 14/12/09 20:56:10
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