In the on-again, off-again world of Arriva bus strikes, the Unite union has announced today that the Kent-wide strike scheduled to start on Monday has been called off - mostly.

Only last Thursday, the union said that the strike scheduled from Monday to Friday would go ahead, after drivers were balloted on a pay offer from Arriva and rejected it.

But now the union says the bus company has made a new improved offer, which they will take back to their members.

While that offer is considered, the union has suspended the strikes scheduled for Monday to Thursday.

It is however still planning to strike on Friday, in the event that its 600 members at bus depots in Gillingham, Gravesend, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells reject the latest offer.

There seems a far chance that the offer might be accepted, as it is understood that drivers at the Maidstone depot were willing to accept the previous offer. They were out-voted by drivers at the other depots who wanted to hold out for an extra 60p an hour more.

Neither Arriva nor Unite will reveal what the offer is that has been made.

Unite regional officer Janet Nobbs said: "Following an improved offer from Arriva, the strikes which were scheduled to affect Kent throughout the school half-term holidays have been called off.”

Other bus operators are not affected by the industrial action.