Abellio bus workers are due to strike again in March, affecting some Richmond and Twickenham bus routes.

Unite Union confirmed the news yesterday (26 February).

About 40 staff who work in the control rooms for Abellio buses are set to walk out on 7, 8, 9, 17, 19, 22 and 27 to 29 March, the union said.

Control room staff, who use high-tech satellite GPS systems to monitor bus routes across London, have been offered just a five per cent pay increase for 2023 by Abellio, a substantial real terms pay cut.

They already earn approximately £10,000 per year less than similar staff at other bus companies and have been offered a smaller pay increase than that offered to members doing the same job at competitor companies.

 Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Abellio has hundreds of millions of pounds of revenue from lucrative London bus contracts and yet it is trying to short-change some of its most vital staff.

"It needs to understand our members won't stand for it."

Controllers, managers and supervisors based at both Battersea bus garage and Twickenham bus garage are staging walkouts on the following dates: 7, 8, 9, 17, 19, 22, 27, 28 and 29 March.

The routes that affected by industrial action are primarily in South and South West London and include: 24, 27, 111, 156, 159, 267, 285, 322, 344, 345, 415 , 490, 969, H20, H25, H26, R68 and R70