Hundreds return at bus firm as pay deal ends strike

Hundreds of workers at a bus manufacturer have ended strike action after securing an above-inflation pay deal.

About 400 staff members in the Unite union at Alexander Dennis in Scarborough had walked out in June after rejecting management's offer of a 4% increase. Nationally, CPI inflation was 3.1% in the year to August 2026.

The workers have now accepted a 4.5% rise, back-dated to January, with a further 3.5% increase in January 2027, the union said.

A spokesperson for Alexander Dennis said an agreement had been reached that "enables us to resume full manufacturing operations at our Scarborough site and continue to deliver for our customers".

Formed 130 years ago, the firm produces buses for Greater Manchester's Bee Network and also Transport for London.

The company, which is headquartered in Larbert, Scotland, was also recently awarded a contract to build more than 200 buses for the Liverpool City Region.

Unite's regional officer Dan Stephens said workers were now "focused on getting back to proudly building world-class buses".

A spokesperson for Alexander Dennis said that Prime Minister Andy Burnham and metro mayors had spoken about the importance of the UK bus manufacturing sector.

"It is essential that those ambitions are reflected in procurement decisions that sustain skilled jobs, create more apprenticeships and deliver economic growth across the country," they added.

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.