An official consultation over the future of Dundee’s bus depot will begin today, following reports the site may be closed in the summer.
Unite union representatives are expected to meet with bus company bosses over concerns the depot will be moved elsewhere within a few months.
Union officials have said the company plans to shift operations to Arbroath by the end of July, although Stagecoach has yet to confirm the claims.
The proposals caused “serious concern” according to Unite’s regional officer Dougie Maguire.
He said: “Stagecoach officials have advised us that the Dundee Stagecoach depot will be closing in stages in the coming months. We seriously ask them to think again.
“We have had serious concerns about the company’s strategy.
“Stagecoach may want to pause and consider what message it would be sending out if it does not have the confidence to have a base in a major Scottish city.
“Buses are a crucial part of the transport network. Many people rely on our drivers and support staff in Dundee, a city of close to 150,000 people. Our members want to deliver the best possible service and that would be made all the harder with the loss of this depot.”
It is not thought the move would directly result in any redundancies, but Mr Maguire said the transfer of the depot to another location would still add extra pressure to staff.
He said: “Transfers may not be the best solution for many workers given that this would involve extensive travelling or relocation.
“We are now in a period of consultation regarding the closure to see if we can find a solution and to ensure that we can look after our members as much as possible.”
Stagecoach East Scotland managing director Andrew Jarvis said: “As always, we have on-going dialogue with the trade union about our operations and we have made them aware of our position on this matter.
“We are reviewing the way we manage our operations in Dundee. This process will not result in any significant changes to our services in the city which our passengers can continue to use as normal.
“In addition, we do not expect any significant changes to overall staffing levels.”
