Bus driver strike set to affect Cheltenham Festival racegoers called off

Racegoers travelling to the Cheltenham Festival next week will have one less thing to worry about as planned strike action by local bus drivers has been called off.

Drivers employed by Stagecoach West, the company which provides a shuttle service from the station and town centre to the racecourse each day of the festival, have secured an improved pay offer, meaning planned disruption has been scrapped.

The 380 drivers, who are members of the union Unite and work from depots in Bristol, Cheltenham, Coalway, Gloucester, Stroud and Swindon, have accepted a pay increase of up to 12 per cent for 2021 and 2022 after voting for strike action.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "This is a great win for our members who, by standing together collectively, have ensured that Stagecoach made a vastly improved pay offer.

"This pay deal demonstrates how Unite's strategy of always prioritising the jobs, pay and conditions of workers is paying dividends."

The strike, which was due to last for a month, was set to start on Thursday and would have caused major disruption during the festival. An aggregate crowd of 270,000 is expected to attend the meeting, with the final two days already sold out.

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