Arriva pull out from Hexham

Readers of the Hexham Courant know that bus operator Arriva has reached a deal with competitor Go North East under which it is proposed that a number of Hexham-based drivers and other staff will "TUPE" transfer from Arriva's employment to Go North East provided the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) does not refer the deal to the Monopolies and Merger Commission (MMC), now called the 'Competition Commission'. Staff affected are understandably concerned about the consequences on their jobs and the future of the bus depot on Burn Lane which is currently only under a short-term lease.


On Sunday I attended a meeting at the Hexham Ex-Servicemens Club to discuss the proposals with affected staff and listen to their concerns. My background in employment law gave me some insight into the issues the staff are wrestling with.