Unite the union can confirm today (21 May) that around 430 Stagecoach drivers will take strike action over six weeks after a breakdown in pay talks.
Bus services are set to stop across the west of Scotland after Stagecoach West Scotland failed to use last ditch pay talks to improve on a four per cent “strings attached” offer which was tabled last November and emphatically rejected by the membership.
Strike action will take place on 26 May, 2 and 6 June. It will then be followed by six weeks of continuous action starting on 9 June lasting until 21 July.
The strike action will impact Stagecoach West Scotland operating out of several depots in Ayr, Arran, Ardrossan, and Kilmarnock servicing passengers across bus routes in Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and Glasgow. The bus depots in Dumfries and Galloway are not involved in this phase of strike action.
Unite members have voted by 98 per cent to take industrial following the emphatic rejection of the four per cent pay offer. The union has continued to highlight that the current pay offer is ‘unacceptable’ as it would leave the drivers one of the poorest paid across Stagecoach’s UK operations.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:
“Stagecoach West Scotland is a profitable company. It is making money on the back of our members’ hard work and long hours. The company can end this dispute at any moment by putting forward a fair offer.”
Scheduled strike action was previously suspended to allow further talks after the company withdrew a threat of cancelling the drivers’ annual leave entitlement.
Unite stated unless the threat was withdrawn it would seek an interim interdict against the company on the grounds of preventing discrimination against our members for trade union activities.
The company which trades under the name Western Buses Limited made a profit after tax of £2.99m in 2024 up from £1.3m in 2023. The company’s revenues also increased to £59.7m up from £50.9m over the same period.
Siobhan McCready, Unite industrial officer, said:
“Stagecoach West Scotland have not improved their pay offer in six months. The drivers are being asked to fund a pay rise by working longer hours, taking longer unpaid breaks and losing a week of annual leave. This is simply unacceptable, and it will not be tolerated by Unite.”
“Widespread and prolonged industrial action is set to hit bus services across the west of Scotland because this company doesn’t seem capable of listening to its workers. It’s not right that the drivers are the lowest paid across the whole of the Stagecoach group. Our members deserve a fair rate and that’s what we are determined to get for them.”
Stagecoach Said:
"Unite the Union has confirmed plans to take industrial action on Monday 26th May, Monday 2nd June and Friday 6th June 2025. As a result, there will be disruptions to our bus services on these days."
"Industrial action will take place over driver pay for our employees based at depots in Ayr, Ardrossan, Arran, and Kilmarnock."
"Regrettably, the industrial action will disrupt our services and inconvenience our customers. As we play a crucial role in helping people stay connected with their communities, we plan to operate a limited service with the drivers available to us."
"We’re working hard to minimise the impact of this disruption, but unfortunately, the limited services we’re running will affect customers travelling in and around Ayrshire."
"We’re very sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience and understanding."
"Please see further information below: Timetables will be temporarily revised, with a limited frequency across Ayrshire on Monday 26th May, Monday 2nd June and Friday 6th June 2025. If we’re able to provide additional resources during the days of industrial action, we’ll aim to increase services and frequencies. Customers will be notified of these changes via our X channel @StagecoachWScot and on our website stagecoachbus.com."
The following services will run at a limited frequency:
Service
Route
Frequency
First journey
Last journey
1
Kilmarnock to Priestland
Every 30 mins
0700 from Kilmarnock
1800 from Kilmarnock
1
Priestland to Kilmarnock
Every 30 mins
0735 from Priestland
1835 from Priestland
4
Kilmarnock to Ayr
Every 30 mins
0650 from Kilmarnock
1745 from Kilmarnock
4
Ayr to Kilmarnock
Every 30 mins
0745 from Ayr
1845 from Ayr
4
Kilmarnock to Glasgow
Every 30 mins
0705 from Kilmarnock
1641 from Kilmarnock
4
Glasgow to Kilmarnock
Every 30 mins
0845 from Glasgow
1815 from Glasgow
9
Kilmarnock to Stewarton
Every 30 mins
0700 from Kilmarnock
1800 from Kilmarnock
9
Stewarton to Kilmarnock
Every 30 mins
0730 from Stewarton
1830 from Stewarton
11
Ardrossan to Kilmarnock
Every 20 mins
0640 from Ardrossan
1740 from Ardrossan
11
Kilmarnock to Ardrossan
Every 20 mins
0630 from Kilmarnock
1740 from Kilmarnock
14
Irvine to Ayr Hospital
Every 60 mins
0625 from Irvine
1607 from Irvine
14
Ayr Hospital to Irvine
Every 60 mins
0640 from Ayr Hospital
1640 from Ayr Hospital
14
Troon to Irvine
Every 60 mins
0728 from Troon
1731 from Troon
14
Irvine to Troon
Every 60 mins
0807 from Irvine
1807 from Irvine
42
Ayr to Muirkirk
Every 60 mins
0700 from Ayr
1700 from Ayr
42
Muirkirk to Ayr
Every 60 mins
0730 from Muirkirk
1730 from Muirkirk
324 / 323
Isle of Arran (full loop around the island)
TBC
0628 from Brodick (324)
1655 from Brodick (324)
324 / 323
Isle of Arran (full loop around the island)
TBC
0750 from Blackwaterfoot (323)
1817 from Blackwaterfoot (323)
360
Ayr to Girvan
Every 120 mins
0720 from Ayr
1720 from Ayr
360
Girvan to Ayr
Every 120 mins
0841 from Girvan
1841 from Girvan
X76
Kilmarnock to Glasgow
Every 20 mins
0700 from Kilmarnock
17:15 from Kilmarnock
X76
Glasgow to Kilmarnock
Every 20 mins
0745 from Glasgow
1815 from Glasgow
X77
Ayr to Glasgow
Every 20 mins
0700 from Ayr
1700 from Ayr
X77
Glasgow to Ayr
Every 20 mins
0820 from Glasgow
1820 from Glasgow
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The following services will not run:
Service
Route
1
Hayhill, Masonhill
1A
Kilmarnock, Crosshouse, Hurlford
1B
Kilmarnock, Galston
2
Ayr, Prestwick
2
Kilmarnock, Hurlford
2A
Ayr Town, Ayr Harbour
3
Ayr, Kincaidston
3
Kilmarnock, Onthank, Shortlees
S3
Ayr Academy, Galloway Avenue
5
Kilmarnock, New Farm Loch, Kilmarnock
6
Ayr, Prestwick
6
Kilmarnock, New Farm Loch, Bellfield
7
Ayr, Castlehill
9
Ayr, Doonfoot
S9
Belmont Academy, Portmark Avenue
10/110
Kilmarnock, Dundonald, Troon
12
Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Stevenston
18
Stevenston, Hayocks, Saltcoats
22
Castlepark, Perceton
23
Broomlands, Hunter Drive
25/ABCDE
Irvine, Beith
28/A
Tesco, Bourtreehill
30/A
Montgomerie Park, Irvine, Greenwood Academy
X36
Glasgow, Beith, Dalry, Kilwinning, Ardrossan
X42/42A
Ayr, Drongan, Cumnock, Muirkirk
43
Ayr, Tarbolton, New Cumnock
43A
Ayr, Annbank
50
Muirkirk, Cumnock, Kilmarnock
52
Ayr, Dalrymple, Bellsbank
61
Dunure, Ayr
76
Kilmarnock, Cumnock
X71
Kilmarnock, Priestland
X76B
Kilmarnock, Cumnock
X78
Kilmarnock, Dundonald, Troon
X79
Irvine, Kilmarnock
301
Hayhill, Masonhill
302
Ayr, Marchburn, Prestwick
306
Ayr, Marchburn, Prestwick
321
Brodick Pier, Brodick Primary School
322
Brodick, Ballymichael, Dougarie
323A
Brodick, Lamlash, Blackwaterfoot
347
Ayr, Rankinston
356
Bellsbank, Cumnock
361
Straiton, Ayr, Dunure
585/A
Ayr, Largs