Bus services and school transport are set to be disrupted this week by strike action by local Stagecoach drivers.

Many routes in the Abergavenny, Blaenavon and Brynmawr area are likely to be hit, with travellers urged to find alternative transport.

A dispute over pay is at the heart of the fall out, with the Unite union claiming Stagecoach had refused to budge over its demand for £10.50 an hour after talks mediated via ACAS.

The company in turn says it has “left no stone unturned in seeking to reach a settlement” on a par with deals agreed at other depots in south Wales.

Unite regional officer Alan McCarthy claimed: “The message was ‘we think you deserve it, but we don’t want to shoulder the cost That’s a bitter pill to swallow, as government funding under the BES2 scheme (emergency funding) has been covering operating costs for some time now, and continues until July 2022.

“Stagecoach have been benefitting from public funding, but will not pay a decent wage to workers.”

In an open letter, Nigel Winter, managing director of Stagecoach south Wales, said: “Our offer would give employees a significant pay increase of more than six per cent. “The union’s demand for a 10.5 per cent increase in one step is not achievable without damaging bus services.’’

Industrial action started yesterday (Tuesday) and is set to continue to Saturday (October 23), with further action next Monday (October 25), and Friday to Saturday, October 29 to 30. Disrupted services that could hit travel in Abergavenny and Blaenavon area include 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16, 17, 21, 23, 46, 47, 83, X3, X24. School services are 2, 15, 23, 82, 97, 810 and X3.

Buses serving Brynmawr that could be disrupted include 1A, 3, 52, 56, E3, X15, fflecsi Blaenau Gwent and the X4 school/college service.