Bus driver jobs have been protected following talks between Bristol Airport and First West of England. This comes as airport bus services are reduced due to a significant drop in demand for air travel, during the coronavirus outbreak.

The arrangement, facilitated by Unite the Union, will see almost 70 drivers across external and internal airport bus routes reallocated to operate on First Bus services in Bristol.

Following a unique agreement with Bristol Airport, First West of England will temporarily employ 25 airport drivers, who usually operate the internal shuttle buses to and from the airport car parks.

The contract will run until the Spring 2021, when demand for air travel is expected to increase and the drivers will return to work on their airport duties once again.

Bus drivers who operate the Airport Flyer services have also been able to transfer across to driving  other bus routes in Bristol and Weston-super-Mare, following the announcement that the A1 (Bristol Bus Station - Bristol Airport) and A3 (Weston-super-Mare - Bristol Airport) are expected to be suspended until January 2021.

With this move, First West of England aims to ensure the drivers can continue to work, whilst providing support on busier routes across the region, as more people start to use public transport again following the Government’s easing of the lockdown restrictions.

Brett Sparkes, South West Regional Officer at Unite the Union said: “We are delighted to have worked alongside Bristol Airport and First Bus to ensure that our members livelihoods’ are secured.

“This agreement will ensure that, in an extremely worrying time for the Aviation sector, these workers can be certain that they will remain in employment. Once again it shows that working with Unite can deliver the best results for the employers, the general public and the workers.”