CONWY residents have been sharing their thoughts on the five-week strike among Arriva bus drivers in North Wales which began last weekend.

Roughly 400 Arriva drivers working at depots including Amlwch, Bangor, Hawarden, Llandudno, Rhyl and Wrexham, are currently striking continuously from 6am on Sunday, November 14 until 1am on Sunday, December 19.

Workers are in dispute with the company regarding their pay rates and working conditions, with a number of offers made by Arriva having been voted down when taken to a ballot by the trade union Unite the Union.

Julie Hynes, from Conwy, is a regular user of the buses and is worried she will be unable to make a doctor's appointment as a result of the strike.

Julie said: "I cannot afford taxis every time I have to go out.

"I have a medical condition; I need to have a booster jab on Friday (and am) not sure how to get there yet. I live in Conwy and have to travel to Llandudno; it's a evening appointment.

"I just wish Arriva could sort this sooner rather than later, or as quickly as you can.

"I'm sure I'm not the only one that needs buses to get about, so please, let's get this sorted."

Arnie Blyth, from Llandudno, is a key worker without a driving licence who has also had his usual routine changed drastically by the strike. 

Arnie said: "I am a ‘key worker’ having to try to get to work; I don’t have a driving licence, so rely on public transport.

"Trains don’t always fit in with my shifts, so all I can do is walk 3.5 miles either to or from work."

Rhian Harris, from Eglwysbach, said the strike has made it harder for her elderly mother to attend her GP and dentist appointments.

Rhian said: "I have my elderly mother living with us and the bus is her lifeline as we live quite rurally and are out at work most of the day. 

"It was bad enough that they limited the buses to three hourly just before this strike. 

"So, she re-arranged appointments to the GP and dentist and now won’t be able to attend at all unless she changes them again, to coincide with me leaving for work and returning from work, meaning she has to hang around in the cold waiting for me to give her a lift.

"We live in Eglwysbach so, as I said, it's difficult enough getting to Llandudno and back even before all this."

Lauren, a resident who typically used Arriva's Bangor to Llandudno route, said: "There are so many people that rely on the bus service for work or to see loved ones in homes, etc.

"I've spoken to a few people that can't get to hospital appointments due to the strike, or even people that need to go to the job centre to sign on that could lose their money, as getting a train means they will be late with having to change trains in Llandudno Junction.

"I really do wish the drivers get the pay they deserve; I just wish it would be solved sooner rather than later."

Dawn Martin, from Glan Conwy, is disabled and said that the strikes have made getting out even harder than before for both her and her son, who has autism.

Dawn said: "I am a disabled person and we find it hard enough having to walk to the bus stop on the main road without having to walk to the shops and back; we can't afford taxis everywhere all the time.

"My son has autism and has only just got used to the buses to and from work in Colwyn Bay, and will find it difficult after five weeks if this strike carries on to find his way to work again.

"Although, I must say, the drivers do deserve the same wages as any other Arriva driver across the board as they do the same job."

Neil Carney took to the Pioneer Facebook to say: “Why do people always make it about themselves? Maybe back them (the drivers striking ) up and the strike won’t last as long, imagine that.”

Ruthie James added: “Imagine if they don't come up with an agreement within the next five weeks, just to wait it out in the hope that, in five weeks’ time, the strike will lift.

“We can't do this for five weeks. It’s Christmas; we are paying for taxis we can't afford, we can't get shopping, we can't go to work, we can't get kids to schools, people can't go visiting people who are sick, and so forth.

“We need public transport for us all to keep ticking; we have all been through enough.”

Similarly, Cerys Lawrence said: “It doesn't just affect the drivers. It has a snowball effect on people who need to get to work, the elderly for their shopping, and retail stores and their sales.”

Clare Rowlands shared her support for the drivers striking, though, writing: “I for one am all for the bus driver strike. The more needed and relied upon a service or sector is, the more the pay should reflect that.

“We should all be behind this strike and the workers’ right to demand a fair wage. This could be the sector that you yourself work in one day; would you want people calling you selfish or greedy for fighting for a fairer wage?

“Yes it’s inconvenient - it wouldn't really have an impact if it wasn't.

“If people got behind them instead of being against them, it would be over a lot faster.”

Margie Cooper shared the effect an absence of Arriva buses has already had on her, writing: “We have hospital appointments to get to and we are having to cancel (them).

“Kids are off, school people can’t get to work, go shopping or to appointments, nothing; even visiting people in nursing homes.”

Roughly 2,000 Arriva drivers across north-west England also voted in favour of strike action, though this has since been suspended.

Recent figures show the UK’s cost of living rose by an average of 3.1 per cent in the last 12 months, with the Bank of England predicting that this figure could rise above four per cent by December and stay that high until next spring.

If you would like to share how the Arriva strike is affecting you, email matthew.chandler@newsquest.co.uk.