More than a dozen bus routes have been affected today (December 4) due to a strike by drivers belonging to the RMT (Rail, Maritime and Transport) union.

The drivers, based at Epsom’s Quality Line depot, on Roy Richmond Way, are striking because they say employer Quality Lane RATP Group, is not recognising RMT as the union of choice of most of its drivers.

Steve Hedley, assistant general secretary of the RMT, said: “It’s really good, we have a lot of people on the picket line.

“Today is to make a point that people won’t accept being dictated to - it’s up to an individual to make a choice."

"Unfortunately, RATP Dev UK drafted people in from other depots, and many of them are in the Unite union. We are very disappointed that Unite have made the decision to cross the picket line.”

A RATP Dev UK spokesman said: “We have a long, well-established relationship with Unite at London United and London Sovereign and have recently extended that relationship to our Quality Line garage in Epsom. Every effort will be made to keep any disruption to a minimum.”

Unite has been approached for comment.

The following routes are affected:

404 Caterham-on-the-Hill to Coulsdon

406 Epsom to Kingston

411 Kingston to West Molesey

413 Morden station to Sutton

418 Kingston to Epsom

463 Pollards Hill to Coulsdon

465 Kingston to Dorking

467 Epsom Hook and Hinchley Wood School (School days)

470 Colliers Wood to Epsom

633 Wallington County Grammar School to Coulsdon South station

641 Teddington School to West Molesey

S1 Mitcham to Banstead

Bus drivers in the Epsom area will go on strike this Monday (December 4) when around 18 bus routes could be affected, including those used by hospital staff and school children.

The striking drivers are all members of the RMT union (Rail, Maritime and Transport) and are based at Epsom’s Quality Line depot, on Roy Richmond Way.

They say they are striking because their employer, Quality Lane RATP Group, is not recognising RMT as the union of choice of most of its drivers.

An RMT member said members were “confident that very few, if any, buses will leave Epsom Garage” during the strike and said it was regrettable that the public had to suffer because of a “weak and inflexible” management.

Routes affected include the 467 school days service which runs between Epsom Hook and Hinchley Wood School, and the S3 which runs between Sutton Hospital and Malden Manor station.

A Quality Line RATP spokesman said he hoped the majority of services would still be running and said the firm was committed to working "collaboratively" with trade union partners.

He said: “We have a long, well-established relationship with Unite at London United and London Sovereign and have recently extended that relationship to our Quality Line garage in Epsom. Every effort will be made to keep any disruption to a minimum.

“We are working hard to make sure we can deliver a reliable service for customers and are confident that we will be able to run the majority of our services.”