Thousands of bus drivers are to go on strike in disputes over pay.

Members of Unite employed by Arriva in London and Kent will take action in the coming weeks in separate rows.

Around 2,000 drivers employed in the company’s North London division will start an indefinite strike from October 4.

Six hundred bus drivers employed by Arriva in Kent will strike on September 30.

Unite is seeking a pay increase in line with RPI inflation, currently 12.3%.

Any pay settlement must be affordable and strike action is counter-productive, harms the communities and customers we serve, and damages bus travel at a time when we should all be focused on building recovery from the pandemic

The union’s general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our members at Arriva have generated huge profits for the company for decades.

“Arriva can afford to offer a pay increase that meets the real rate of inflation but it has put profits before people and declined to do so.

“Unite will leave no stone unturned in the support given to our members during this dispute.”

Alex Jones, operations director for Arriva UK Bus London said: “We are very disappointed that we were unable to reach an agreement with our drivers.

“Our people play a hugely important role keeping London moving and they fully deserve a fair pay rise – especially with the cost-of-living increasing so much.

“It’s why despite the significant, increasing costs pressures on the bus sector, we have offered a generous pay rise – higher than any other London bus operator and an increase far higher than most workers are receiving from their employers at a time of considerable economic pressure.”

“Any pay settlement must be affordable and strike action is counter-productive, harms the communities and customers we serve, and damages bus travel at a time when we should all be focused on building recovery from the pandemic.

“We are continuing discussions with Unite, with the aim of securing a positive outcome that delivers a fair and affordable pay rise for bus workers across the region.”