Arriva bus drivers resume strike over cab heat concerns
London bus drivers have resumed strike action over working in high temperatures, after rejecting an offer from operator Arriva North London to improve air conditioning across its fleet. Around 1,500 Unite union members across north London and Essex are taking part in a four-day strike from Tuesday to Friday, with drivers concerned that promised cab retrofits will not be finished before next summer's heatwaves.
Drivers have complained for years of "excessive in-cab heat" exceeding 30C, worsened this year by a record run of five heatwaves during which temperatures often topped 40C. Existing cooling systems reportedly cut cab temperatures by only 2-3C, contributing to fatigue, heat exhaustion and dehydration among staff. Strikes began at eight garages on 14 and 18 August, disrupting more than 40 bus routes; while Unite and Arriva reached agreement at five garages, drivers at three – Barking, Grays and one other – rejected the deal and walked out again, with further stoppages planned across September and October.
- London bus drivers strike again over hot working conditions.
- Drivers fear air-con upgrades won't be ready by summer 2027.
- More strikes planned across September and October.
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Bus drivers working for Arriva North London have been in dispute with the company over the temperature inside their cabs during hot weather, which they say has regularly climbed above 30C and, during this year's heatwaves, sometimes above 40C. Around 1,500 drivers, members of the Unite union, cover routes across north London and Essex, and the dispute centres on how quickly and effectively the company will fix the problem.
Arriva put forward a plan to upgrade air conditioning across its buses, but many drivers rejected it because they doubt the work will be finished in time for next summer. Talks have resolved the dispute at some depots, while drivers at others have continued striking, meaning bus services in the affected areas have been disrupted on and off since mid-August.
The issue matters because it touches on both passenger services, since strikes cancel or reduce bus routes, and on wider questions about how employers protect staff who work in enclosed, hot environments during increasingly frequent heatwaves.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “London bus drivers resume strike over heatwave working amid fears over air con deal”.