Edinburgh Lothian Buses strike: Residents react to strike being suspended pending another ballot

A "deeply damaging" strike by bus drivers has been suspended at the eleventh hour

Edinburgh Evening News readers have been responding to the news we broke this afternoon that the planned strike action starting this Friday has been suspended pending another ballot on August 9.

The strike action, due to start on Friday, had been called for amid allegations of harassment and bullying within the company - with 59 per cent of Unite union members voting to reject a deal by management last week.

Lothian chiefs had been drawing up contingency options including drafting in drivers from other services such as East Coast Buses and Lothian Country. But last-gasp talks have resulted in the industrial action being suspended ahead of drivers set to strike from 3am from Friday.

Unite members will hold another ballot in two weeks time on the improved offer from Lothian management.

Here's how Edinburgh reacted:

Lorraine Blyth wrote: "I hope the strike isn’t going to be postponed till AFTER the Festival!!! If that’s the case then I’m afraid the drivers will lose my support."

Chris Storey shared his thoughts, saying: "Hopefully sense has prevailed and any strike won’t happen over this important time of year for our economy, visitors and residents."

Macdonald Robin Jamie praised the drivers and their union, saying: "Well done the drivers and their union."

Steven Oliver said: "Always on the cards that it would be called off."

Ann Waddell offered a reminder, saying: "It says suspended pending result of further ballot on improved offer next week. Might still happen depending on result on 9th August."

Grant McNeil was thinking of his commute, saying: "Shame was looking forward to driving without being behind 5 buses."