More than 1,500 London bus drivers will walk out this week over poor working conditions in hot weather.

Industrial action by members of the Unite union employed by Arriva North London began at 4am this morning and will run intermittently until 4.30am on Friday 21 August.

The following bus services will be impacted: 19, 29, 34, 41, 66, 67, 76, 102, 103, 121, 141, 149, 150, 158, 175, 191, 192, 217, 221, 243, 248, 254, 259, 279, 307, 313, 329, 341, 349, 370, 375, 377, 616, 675, SL1, SL2, W3, W4. W6, N19, N29, N41, N279.

The drivers are taking 26 days of action over what they say is Arriva North London’s failure to act on working conditions during extreme heat.

Drivers from eight bus garages – Barking, Edmonton, Enfield, Grays, Palmers Green, Stamford Hill, Tottenham and Wood Green – are involved in the dispute.

Planned strikes in August and September will coincide with closures on the Piccadilly line, with significant delays and cancellations expected.

The union says that most Arriva buses operate with air cooling systems rather than air conditioning, leaving drivers exposed to extreme temperatures during the recent series of heatwaves.

Unite is calling on Arriva to fit all buses with effective air conditioning, arguing that working in scorching temperatures is dangerous for drivers, whose cabs can reach highs of more than 40 degrees. Such temperatures can cause health issues including heatstroke and exhaustion, fatigue, dehydration and dizziness.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The heatwave this week has caused even more problems for our members at Arriva North London, who have once again faced doing a demanding job in unbearable conditions.

“No worker should be made ill by their job. This problem is raised year after year, and as the summers get hotter it can no longer be swept under the carpet. Arriva can afford to act on this serious issue, which puts both drivers and the general public at risk, and it must make this a priority.”

The industrial action comes after a summer in which the UK has struggled with drought and extreme heat.

On Thursday, 13 August, the Met Office reported the hottest day of the year so far with temperatures surging to 38.1C at Kew Gardens in West London.

“Extreme heat is creating challenges across many sectors, including London's bus network,” Wasim Mohammed, managing director of Arriva London, told The Independent.

“The wellbeing of our colleagues and customers is our top priority, and we are working closely with Transport for London (TfL) to ensure appropriate support is in place.

“We have already introduced additional support for drivers during hot weather, including regular breaks and welfare checks – and are continuing to invest in long-term improvements, including upgraded air conditioning systems and new buses coming into our fleet.

“These upgrades are complex and being led by TfL as part of its extreme heat taskforce. We urge Unite to come back to the negotiating table and engage with us constructively so we can avoid further disruption.”

Lorna Murphy, director of buses at TfL, apologised for the disruption. “We know that any disruption to London's bus network can have a significant impact on our customers, and we're working closely with Arriva to help customers travel during these periods of strike action,” she told The Independent.

“We encourage anyone travelling in the affected areas to plan ahead, allow extra time for their journeys, and check before they travel using the TfL Go app or our website.”

London bus strike dates

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