Cardiff Bus faces a dispute after the company withheld pay from drivers who refused to continue shifts during the recent heat wave because they judged conditions on board to be unsafe. The issue has been raised by drivers and criticised by the Unite union, which says the council-owned operator’s position is unacceptable.
Drivers cite high temperatures and faulty cooling
An anonymous driver who contacted media described the situation as a “serious health and safety dispute” linked to inadequate cooling on a number of vehicles. The company has told staff that it is not able to pay drivers who do not drive “under extreme weather conditions”, a stance that Unite has rejected.
"serious health and safety dispute"
Unite has told members that a Red Weather Warning indicates dangerous conditions with a high risk to life and cited Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 in support of members who took steps to protect themselves from what they say was a serious and imminent danger. The union says affected drivers have suffered both loss of wages and have had absences recorded on their sickness files.
Fleet composition and air‑conditioning concerns
The dispute highlights long-standing questions about vehicle choice and maintenance. According to the report:
- 53 older Mercedes Citaro buses originally fitted with air conditioning which is now said not to work effectively;
- 55 electric Yutong buses, of which 36 were delivered from late 2021 and a further 19 in April 2024, described as having excellent air conditioning;
- 20 new Volvo B8RLE MCV Evora buses received in April 2026 that were designed with small windows but were delivered without air conditioning.
| Vehicle type | Number reported | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mercedes Citaro | 53 | Original AC reportedly not maintained and ineffective |
| Yutong (electric) | 55 | 36 delivered late 2021; 19 in April 2024; AC described as excellent |
| Volvo B8RLE MCV Evora | 20 | Delivered April 2026; designed for AC but AC omitted |
Public ownership and accountability questions
Cardiff Bus is publicly owned and receives significant public funding. Drivers and passengers affected by a perceived shortfall in cooling systems say the matter warrants public scrutiny. Unite has characterised the docking of pay and the recording of sickness absences as unacceptable and has sought to inform members about their legal position.
The dispute raises practical questions for passengers as well as staff: how the operator allocates vehicles across routes, how maintenance of cooling systems is prioritised, and whether new vehicle specification decisions meet operational safety needs in extreme weather.
At the time of publication there has been no further public statement from Cardiff Bus included in the available report beyond the company’s general position on pay during extreme weather. The issue is one likely to draw attention from councillors, union representatives and passengers while the city faces increasingly frequent periods of extreme heat.
