Arriva workers are coming together to stand up for what’s right: a march against sexual harassment and assault on public transport.
If you live in London, you may have noticed that a range of transport strikes are taking place all over the city. Typically, strikes happen due to workers fighting for better pay, better sick leave and in some circumstances, all-around treatment on the job.
And between Tuesday, 21st April and Friday, 24th April, there will be very limited tube and train availability for the above reasons. You can find out more in our previous article on the London tube strikes and how they will affect your journeys.
What’s going on with the Luton bus strikes?
In Luton, however, there is a far worse situation coming to play. Workers are actively going on strike in a bid to fight back against a series of sexual assault cases. Staff and members of the public are being routinely harassed and, in worst cases, assaulted while trying to take public transport.
This issue began in March, when Arriva bus drivers reported several complaints of sexual harassment comments being masked as “banter.” Since then, a bus driver has reportedly been fired for reasons yet to be confirmed. However, it’s reported that he had also made several complaints about the harassment issue.
What has the response been so far?
A member of the Bedfordshire police confirmed that, “A man in his 30s from Stevenage has been arrested and released on bail whilst enquiries continue.”
Sharon Graham, the General Secretary of Unite the Union, commented on the event:
“Arriva’s handling of this dreadful situation is despicable – it brings shame on the entire company. The concerns of these workers need to be addressed, and our shop steward – fired for speaking out – must be reinstated. These workers have Unite’s complete backing in taking strike action until that happens.”
Additionally, the Unite regional officer, Jeff Hodge, said:
“Arriva is entirely responsible for the disruption that will be caused to services. Not only has it tried to brush these incredibly serious matters under the carpet, it has fired a workplace rep for trying to prevent it from doing so. Strikes will continue to worsen until Arriva rights these wrongs.”
How long will the strike go on for?
Luton bus engineers are set to go on strike for three separate periods. Including from Monday, 27th April – Friday 1st May. Monday 11th – Friday 15th May and Monday 25th – Friday 29th May.
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How do these strikes affect young people?
As noted in our article about the new Google Maps update, according to GovUK’s 2025 National Travel Survey (NTS), 42% of kids between the ages of 11 and 16 use the bus for longer trips to and from school. While 58% would use this mode of transport for lengths of 5 miles and over. Thus, it’s a very common mode of transport for the younger generation. It’s imperative that buses are a safe space for them and that cases like these are dealt with efficiently.
What support is there for victims?
The UK has several helplines and services for victims of sexual assault and harassment. Some of which include Rape Crisis, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), and Survivors UK, to name a few.
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Laviea Thomas is a journalist at Inside Success who writes about film, music and politics.
Outside of that, she is an experienced freelance journalist with bylines in NME, The Quietus, Metal Hammer and more.
Over the years, Laviea has been an active panellist discussing fundamental conversations in the music industry, such as diversity and inclusion, and the importance of grassroots venues. She has been a panel guest for Kerrang! Focus Wales Festival, Future Yard and more.
