THE MS and MP for Aberconwy have both welcomed news that the Arriva bus driver strike action has been suspended, with the company confirming that its operations will resume in North Wales on Friday.

Janet Finch-Saunders, Aberconwy MS, and Robin Millar, MP for the constituency, expressed their relief that the disruption caused by the strike to those in the region will, at least for the time being, come to a halt.

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

The industrial action was called by the Unite the Union trade union after Arriva failed to offer drivers in Wales the same level of pay and working conditions as those across the border in England.

A fresh offer to Arriva workers has now been made, which will be put to a ballot among Unite members.

Mrs Finch-Saunders said: “I welcome the suspension of this strike action by drivers employed by Arriva Buses Wales which was, as my mailbag can attest, causing considerable disruption to the lives of people across North Wales, particularly for the elderly and vulnerable who do not have access to other forms of transportation.

“To avoid the return of such disruption, it is crucial that both sides seek a just resolution to this dispute as soon as possible.

“If this cannot be forthcoming, I would encourage both parties to use the arbitration services available.

“At a crucial point for our booster vaccine roll-out, with residents required to visit medical centres, the provision of regular and reliable public transport services are an essential pillar in our defence.”

All services are due to run from the first scheduled bus, but Arriva warns that early morning services may still experience some disruption as it mobilises its operation overnight.

Last week, Molly Huxley set up the ‘Carpool Llandudno & Surrounding Areas’ Facebook group to help people provide lifts to each other during the strike.

The group has already surpassed 1,000 members, and Mr Millar expressed his gratitude to Molly and others who have stepped in to help at a particularly difficult time.

Mr Millar added: “Access to comfortable and reliable public transport is a priority for so many people in Aberconwy and throughout North Wales.

“On Wednesday, I hosted a Facebook Live Q&A with constituents to discuss transport and just listening to the discussion highlights how much people rely on public transport to visit friends, to support family members, to access public services and to receive medical care and, of course, to get to and from work.

“I share the relief of bus users throughout Aberconwy that the Arriva drivers’ strike has now been called off, and I urge the different parties to work hard to resolve any differences that may remain and to ensure that there will be no need for future strike action.

“I was deeply concerned about the potential impact of the strike on our vital vaccine booster campaign, and I am pleased that the risk of disruption has now been lifted.

“I thank everyone who stepped forward to support those who are dependent on buses by offering lifts and helping with shopping and I commend people like Molly Huxley.”