Drivers have rejected a 5% wage rise, saying that they want more than 6%.

They have also complained about planned changes to terms and conditions attached to the rise.

Lothian Buses carries more than 300,000 passengers each weekday.

These are your comments.

I've started cycling to work - it means I can be flexible and I'm saving money by not buying a ridacard/paying for bus fares. Today was great cycling into work - no buses trying to run me over. I'm a student and I would love to earn 20k once i graduate - and get a pay rise that is above inflation. Don't see it happening though!
Annie, Edinburgh

Generally, the bus service in Edinburgh is excellent and I appreciate the good service most drivers provide. For a one day strike obviously many people took advantage of the good weather to take a day off and others made up a small army of walkers into the city, but many people can't do this in the long term. I too would like to know what these mysterious terms and conditions changes are, but on the face of it, for drivers that are already the best paid in the country to reject an offer well ahead of inflation is not a good move.
David Harrington, Edinburgh

Fantastic - I was able to get around Edinburgh without any problems today - first time in a very long time. In fact, with this little congestion around, maybe the best thing is to stop running buses everywhere when they only achieve around 30% capacity throughout the day. As the posters say - "Stop the war against the Motorist!" and give the bus lanes back to road tax payers.
Andy, Edinburgh, Scotland

I think the Lothian bus service is really good, but I don't agree with this strike. From what people are saying, these drivers are already well paid, and only semi-skilled. I was in education for 7 years and my starting salary as a PhD was the same as these people. Makes me sick, get back to work and stop whining; if you don't like it, get another job.
Helen, Edinburgh

I use the bus every day, and whist I agree that a minority of bus drivers can be rude, I find that more passengers are rude, threatening and offensive when dealing with bus drivers. Also, every other driver on the road seems to believe that buses are there to inconvenience them. You couldn't pay me enough to drive a bus - I just wouldn't do it - good luck drivers, hope you get your raise without too much disruption. Thanks also for being there to drive me to work at 6am and midnight 7 days a week - thanks for working on Christmas and New Years day enabling me to see my family and for keeping drunk drivers off the road at these times.
Donna, Prestonpans

Maybe the majority of Lothian Bus drivers could buy a copy of the Highway Code with their pay increase, might make the journey more comfortable for passengers!! They might even be polite if they get their pay raise.
P Grant, Edinburgh

Seeing all the suits having to walk half a mile to work today was brilliant! My journey to work was a third quicker today without the extra traffic - keep up the strike!!
ewan, Edinburgh

Great cycle commute this morning. The streets of Edinburgh have never been so safe. Have no idea if you guys are rude or not, but your driving is regularly inconsiderate and dangerous to other road users. Stay on strike guys.
David, Bathgate

How much would the bus drivers' critics expect to be paid if their job had being stabbed as an occupational hazard? I know people who earn more than 20k a year just for grovelling to CEOs. It always amuses me that people with degrees believe they've really worked hard as students for their right to earn more money in a pleasant job while everybody else was just lazing about. Who do they think they're kidding? Collecting rubbish is hard work; cleaning toilets is hard work; studying is not hard work. I've been a student and it was a stroll in the park compared to real hard work.
Steve B, Edinburgh

I like many others had to get a taxi to work this morning and will have to get a taxi home and earn significantly less than �20,000 per year so could do without the extra expense. I have a yearly ridacard - are Lothian Buses going to reimburse me for the day I could not use this? �20,000 a year is a very good wage and so is a 5% wage rise. Some of us are lucky if we get 1-2% per year. C'mon bus drivers it's time you took a reality check!
June, Edinburgh

It really is time that the bus drivers strike ability was withdrawn. We are being held to ransom by these militants with no good reason. �17K basic is ample for un-qualified basic skilled workers. Edinburgh is a city of high employment. If they want a pay rise, they should resign and find another job.
Reginald Forfar, Edinburgh

I walked the 2 miles to work this morning and it took me 35 minutes, which is only about 10 minutes slower than the bus.
John McVey, Edinburgh

I travel through Edinburgh every day. I must say it was a pleasure this morning with no buses on the roads and the Greenways which half the available road space for motorists available. I wouldn't miss never seeing a bus again on Edinburgh's streets.
Graeme, Fife

Amazing to see comments about "buses clogging up the roads". Look around you when you're next stuck in a traffic jam and count the number of cars (most with single occupancy)compared to the number of buses. A bus at full capacity, which they usually are during the rush hour, carries almost 100 passengers. If each of these passengers were to drive a car how long would you enjoy your "clog free" roads?
john dodds, Edinburgh

I've always wondered who exactly votes Lothian Buses as "Bus Company of the Year" every year. Looking at these comments it certainly isn't their customers.
Gordon Kerr, Edinburgh

As has been said by a few of my fellow drivers, this strike is not all about money. Ever since the new management took over, they have tried everything they can to divide the workforce. First off they brought in the single-deck pay rate for all new drivers into the company. New drivers often work 10 to 12 hours a day but only get paid for what they drive, sometimes this can be about 7 to 9 hours pay. They also don't get paid a premium rate for overtime. This is the sort of contract the management would like us all to be on (personally I thought slavery was illegal). The only thing they have to look forward to is moving off the single deck rate to the double deck rate. I would like to see all the people that are calling us greedy for wanting �9 an hour to come and try and do our job. We have to take quite a lot of abuse both verbal and physical from all kinds of people, we also have to deal with drunks, drug addicts and gangs of teenage kids that cause all kinds of trouble for us. In certain parts of the city our buses are often pelted with stones and other things like being shot at with air guns. As for drivers being rude, well yes there are a few but then if you looked in any job there are always a few rude people, we know this because we do have a lot of them travelling on our buses. So before people call bus drivers rude maybe they should think about saying please and thank you and not just throw money into the hopper and expect the driver to know what they want.
Lothian Buses Driver, Edinburgh

I have to laugh at comments about bus drivers being greedy by people who have accepted lower pay rises and think that there is an endless stream of people wanting to be bus drivers. The truth is a vast amount of people becoming bus drivers soon leave as they realise its not just pushing buttons and turning a wheel. New drivers coming into this industry have to start on single-deck buses and work 10 and 11 hours a day compulsory, single time for working overtime on their days off, less paid company sick pay - the job sounds good, eh. Double-deck drivers are on a different contract, better conditions, that we are fighting to keep. The company want more single-deck drivers to do double deck routes so the drivers can work longer shifts. If they had offered 5% no strings attached offer it would have been accepted. If drivers worked 6 days a week and 3 hours overtime each day we would earn more than the �17,000 pay we get for working a normal 39 hours or 50+ working week single-deck drivers do.
Robt, Prestonpans

The traffic flowed much more easily without the buses and being able to use bus lanes. If bus drivers continue to strike people will find alternatives.
Graham, Edinburgh

1. We don't all earn 20k a year as advertised on the back of the buses. I, for one of the biggest majority, only earned 17k last year. 2. The 5% offer came with more conditions than a dodgy credit card and would mean a longer working week with less money. 3. As for rude drivers, there are over 1,400 of us and there are always a select few rotten apples we can't all be tarred with the same brush as I personally have had no complaints. 4. This "semi-professional" bit that so many seem to go on about, I'd like to see somebody try and drive a bus. There have been only two buses that i know of stolen for a joy ride in Edinburgh and both didn't get past the first corner. I would like to say that I probably don't speak for all drivers here but i felt an opinion was needed from "our" side. 'mon the wee man!!
Bus Driver, Edinburgh

Lothian bus drivers, I've found, are often rude, late and insulting. They claim that they pay �20k and a starting vet only gets �19 - �21k and they would have spend 6 years in university!! I don't think the bus drivers can ask for much more, they certainly didn't have to spend 6 years learning how to drive a bus.
Anon, Edinburgh

I am also a bus driver, although not in Scotland. We are also involved in industrial action at the moment and as usual, it all comes back to money. We are currently earning much less than Lothian bus drivers and even if our claim was met in full, would still be way behind them. If bus operators invested more in newer vehicles, they would not break down so frequently, thus losing services and revenue. If they also invested in their greatest asset (the drivers) they would attract staff, and keep them. I could earn more cleaning the bus rather than driving it ! Let some of the critics try the job for �6 per hour.
Iain, Plymouth, Devon

If this strike is just about the bus drivers' terms and conditions, why don't they accept less than the 5% offered to get them? They'll still be getting a larger pay increase than the majority of workers this year. I've had to drive into work today but am happy as I've parked close to my work (as no cost for the parking meters) and will have no buses clogging up the traffic on my way home.
Christine, Edinburgh

Get a grip drivers. Going on strike for �9 an hour when people earning less than that are now struggling to get to their work. C'mon - get aff!
Bruce, Broxburn

To earn �20,500 a year we have to work 6 days a week with 3 or 4 lots of overtime. We will hardly see our families so the conditions being offered are unacceptable.
Anon- Bus Diver who is striking, Scotland

It is pure greed on the bus drivers part. They say they have a basic salary of over �17,000 and have to do overtime to make ends meet. I wish i could earn that amount with overtime . 90% of the drivers need to go to a customer care course. They have the best buses in Britain, uniforms, great pay and i feel public will turn against them,
John, Edinburgh

It was great to see so many people walking to work this morning and getting some exercise for a change!
Ian, Edinburgh

I've never understood the idea of company-wide pay bargaining. Why do companies still do this? This means that all drivers no matter if they're good or bad get 5%. How about this for an idea - good drivers get 5% and the unhelpful, rude ones (and there's a lot of them in Edinburgh) get nothing. I'd support that.
Alan Bennett, Edinburgh

Straight economics should sort this out. If Lothian buses are having problems recruiting staff then they should be paid more. If they are having no problems recruiting staff then drivers are being paid enough. That is how markets forces work and how my company works. These unions wading in with old-style mass pay bargaining just harks back to the (bad) old days. Pay should be based purely on supply/demand for the job, not some union bureaucrat still thinking he's living in the 1950's.
Austin, Edinburgh

How ironic! The bus company that boasts "best pay and conditions in Scotland" on the back of their own buses have their own workers going out on strike to improve them.
Gayle, Edinburgh

In all my travels around town, I've never once got cheek from a First bus driver, but have been snidely insulted several times by Lothian drivers when asking questions about the bus' route.
GT, Edinburgh

Contrary to the adverts on the buses, bus drivers do not earn �20k. �14k is the norm I believe. I was late in to work today but I support the drivers. They deserve a wage increase. People seem to be focussing on the pay request rather than the heart of the matter which is the conditions attached to their contracts at present. And as for them being rude, I think Lothian bus drivers are excellent, perhaps people should bear in mind that if you're miserable to people, they'll be miserable back!!
Ben, Edinburgh

This is the first time for many months I've even heard of a 5% pay offer, never mind a rejected 5% pay offer. The council should use the money they save to offer incentives to other companies and not yield to the greedy, obnoxious Lothian Bus drivers.
Peter, Edinburgh

Lothian's drivers are already well paid, why can't they see that? If they don't like the terms they were employed under then why did they take the job? There must be plenty of people who would do it if they don't want to? If they were providing an efficient service then you might say they deserved a bit more as a 'pat on the back' but the reliability of Lothian Buses is terrible!
Bill, Edinburgh

Can I please request a bus strike very Monday? Having the roads back to their pre-"Greenway" 100% capacity cut 15 minutes off my commute. Thanks Lothian Buses & Council. Happy Motoring.
Alan Fisher, Edinburgh, Scotland

No Buses /no Greenways why don't we go one step further and let cars rule the world. Walking, cycling and jogging are all better ways to protect our world/city. Oops sorry. I forgot people who drive to work are more important.
Derek , Edinburgh

It was a pleasure driving into work today without buses clogging up the roads. The drivers should go on strike indefinitely John, Edinburgh

I normally find the bus service a fast and efficient method of transport around the city and rely on it daily. The drivers are normally friendly and polite and did a fantastic job during recent events in Edinburgh. I have not been able to get into work today, due to the strike. I am one of the lucky ones in the fact I can work from home, but what about all the people who don't have that option, don't own a car and don't live near a station, that is the people this strike is hurting most, not the bus company!
Louise, Edinburgh

I feel that this just smacks of some greed by the unions. When most people are getting far less than 5% (incl myself) why should they get 6% for probably doing less than at present? I'm very glad that I bought a motorbike so that I'm not at the mercy of public transport
Ashley, Edinburgh, UK

It was a pleasure driving into work today without buses clogging up the roads. The drivers should go on strike indefinitely.
John, Edinburgh

I think Lothian drivers are downright greedy. I work in the public sector and I would love a wage rise of more than 6%, but I know I have little chance of getting it while remaining in the public sector, something they should think about! I have absolutely no sympathy for them whatsoever. I was late into work this morning, a journey that usually takes 40 mins, took over 1.5 hours. It's about time Lothian Bus commuters stood up for ourselves and let these greedy drivers know that we will not tolerate these strikes!
Cameron Scott, Leith, Scotland

Even though I had to walk to my course I support this strike, those who oppose it do so out of ignorance, it is not just about pay but new conditions attached to the offer which at 5% is ok but it will be the first one above inflation for years. Lothian Buses should give them the rise but not put up fares as they have risen above inflation ever since I came to Edinburgh 21 years ago.
adrian cannon, Edinburgh Scotland

I am amazed at these drivers being described as semi-skilled professionals. It takes little skill to turn a wheel and press a couple of pedals - much less than many factory workers require for their machinery - and professional? Not any of the curt, inconsiderate drivers I have encountered. Let them stay off work - there must be plenty of others who would be delighted at the chance of �20k for pressure-free easy work like this.
Rob, Glasgow

I don't know the details of the changes to terms and conditions but I do think that �20k for driving a bus is a fair wage. I am a graduate and earn considerably less than that in my office job. I have also invested in a Ridacard, and grudge having to pay extra to get a First bus to work.
Katrina, Edinburgh

I fully support the Lothian bus drivers. If the pay and conditions are as attractive as some people say, why aren't people queuing up to be bus drivers? The bus service in Edinburgh is generally excellent and our drivers deserve a decent wage and contracts which protect them from excessive demands. Show some solidarity.
Bill Stitt, Edinburgh

There is little public sympathy for the bus drivers in this strike. They are already on a good wage for semi-skilled labour and are easily the best paid drivers in Lothian. If as they say in the quote to the BBC the strike is about terms and conditions, why are they asking for a 6% pay increase as well and why have we not heard what these all important terms changes are?
Nicola, Edinburgh

If, as they say, there are unfair terms and conditions I can understand action, but going on strike causes huge problems to thousands of people and generates animosity to the drivers, not sympathy, especially when they are earning far more in salary than I am or indeed many of the other passengers who rely on them. Besides, if, as they say, the terms and conditions are the main thing, then why are they holding out for a bigger increase as well? And why refuse arbitration?
Joe, Edinburgh

I am the wife of a driver and I feel you are not telling the whole story in your report. The drivers are not striking because of the money offer, it is the conditions that are being attached to the offer they do not agree with. These conditions will affect our personal life and our children's quality time with their father/mother. Due to the fact they conditions are to lengthen the working day for drivers who all ready work irregular and unsociable hours, which we accept as part of our job, but object to being forced to extend these hours further, when this was really a pay increase not a contract of hours change.
Suzan! ne Wakeham, Fife

I had to take the car to work this morning, and was amazed by how quick it was without half the roads being left empty for bus lanes Matt, Edinburgh

Your report of the bus strike is rather biased and encourages people to think that bus drivers are greedy. It's the same as the firefighters strike - people weren't fighting over pay, but over conditions. We've not been told in your article what those conditions are. This encourages people to support the bus companies, rather than the bus drivers in the pay dispute.
Jane Herbstritt, Edinburgh

After a one and a half hour walk just to get to one of our work buildings, I was somewhat exhausted. After reading the comments and articles about the reasons for the strike it seems that if it is more about the conditions and not the money, surely they could have asked for a less % in pay increase if the company offered them better working conditions?
Mairi, Edinburgh, UK

I'd love a 5% pay rise this year, but sadly all I'm offered is 3%; I have to drive 25 miles into Edinburgh every day and I've never seen the traffic flowing so smoothly as it did this morning, now that the bus lanes have been opened to the people who pay for them (i.e. the motorist). Today their strike means I' will be the one who gets to spend more "quality time" at home with my family
Andrew, Livingston, Scotland

"Your assertion that "the bus lanes have been opened to the people who pay for them (i.e. the motorist) is false. The roads are paid for by all taxpayers, bus passengers included.
Stan Marsh, London, UK

I had to take the car to work this morning, and was amazed by how quick it was without half the roads being left empty for bus lanes.
Matt, Edinburgh, Scotland

I support this walkout. My dad's a bus driver and he's very strongly in favour of a walkout. Everyone knows that ever since Neil Renilson became chief exec that he's wanted to introduce a flat �1 fare, so to say that he can't afford the 6% is nonsense. I support the strike, we have an excellent bus service here in Edinburgh and it's about time the drivers got some recognition. Let Renilson refuse his bonus this year.
Steven Manson, Edinburgh, Scotland

There are plenty of people out there who would be glad of the wages these guys are on just now. If they are not willing to work then clear them out and make room for the people who would.
John Dobie, Tranent, Edinburgh

I'm a trade unionist myself, but this strike smacks of sheer greed by the drivers. At over �20,000 for a 45 hour week, Lothian bus drivers are already the best paid bus drivers in Scotland by some distance - and now they want a pay rise more than double the rate of inflation. They've got a cheek rejecting a 5% pay rise. Most of us would love a pay rise like that.
Simon, Edinburgh, UK

I believe Lothian's drivers are well-paid already and should not be expecting an above inflation rise without a link to improved customer service Rick, Edinburgh

Today I cannot go to work because of the strike. I have just moved to Edinburgh and people warned me not to get a car because of the parking problem in the city centre, as the city council is trying to get more people to travel by bus. I don't know about the details of the demands, but I think more should have been done to try to prevent this strike, which is most inconvenient for people like me for whom buses are the only way to get to work.
Erik, Edinburgh Scotland

Public transport in Edinburgh is rubbish. No wonder that the congestion charge was rejected. Bus drivers face violence and stupidity daily, but I believe that they are already well paid.
BK, Edinburgh

From what I here, with the buses off the road and the bus lanes open, there is much less congestion on the road. Perhaps more buses and bus lanes aren't the solution to congestion.
A.B., Edinburgh, Scotland

Got a First Bus this morning no problem, but I will feel guilty taking a space on a West Lothian bus tonight if it means regular travellers going to West Lothian get left behind.
L Smith, Edinburgh, Scotland

6%? With inflation way below this and most of their passengers getting 0% to 2% what is the justification? ScotRail cancelled trains from Newcraighall park & ride this morning, well-timed!
Jamie, Scotland

I've previously lived in London and four other UK cities and Edinburgh's bus service is undoubtedly the poorest I've experienced. This is not due to the routes and timetabling, but rather the shocking rudeness and lack of customer-focus exhibited by drivers. I believe Lothian's drivers are well-paid already and should not be expecting an above inflation rise without a link to improved customer service.
Rick, Edinburgh, Scotland

I wonder if passengers should strike and boycott these buses. Ken, Edinburgh

Trying to ignore the fact that the bus drivers have gone on strike for more money (we'd all like to do that), the council have stated people should try other means of getting to work including cycling. Councillors have an option since they all insisted they needed parking spaces 'in order to do their job efficiently'. Slightly hypocritical of them to drive to work each day whilst making it so difficult for other workers to do so. However as usual, I'm sure they didn't give a jot about the people of Edinburgh as they drove to work this morning. I wonder, will any of them offer a lift home to the 'common people' tonight.
Ed, Edinburgh, Scotland

I think the bus drivers are greedy rejecting 5%, especially as they are already well paid. The bus route I use to work is a Mon - Fri only service, so I will have no bus service to work for the foreseeable future and it is too far to walk. Strangely though, the roads today were much quieter than normal.
Alan, Edinburgh

The other bus operators will be laughing all the way to the bank tonight! Normally the First buses heading out of Edinburgh are very quiet in the mornings, not so today. Unfortunately though I'm sure there's many people who have been forced to take a day off today because they cannot get into the City.
Andy, Penicuik

I lived in Edinburgh for nearly 5 years and would give the LRT drivers a 10% rise if they'd agree to go to charm school - or even a few night classes in basic common courtesy. But, more to the point, what genius decided to call a bus strike during warm, sunny July?
Colin, Scotland

It's somewhat ironic after the council's heavy-handed approach to a handful of anarchists the other week that it is the council that brings real chaos to Edinburgh.
Ian Scott,

I have followed the decline of the bus service here for the past 20 years. The effect of the one day strike really underlines the major issue that due to Lothian Buses relationship with Edinburgh Council they have systematically managed to eliminate any real competition and consequently choice for Edinburgh passengers. By the sounds of things, Lothian buses are already looking at these strikes as the perfect excuse for yet another fares increase. Perhaps if they spent more money on improving services, driver conditions and hiring customer-focused, friendly staff instead of ridiculous extravagances such as the electronic timetable system then this action could have been avoided.
Wayne Hamilton, Edinburgh

I'm not sure who I hold in more contempt at the moment, the drivers or the city of Edinburgh council. You would say they deserve each other, but Edinburgh's residents are unfortunately the people being most affected by the combination of the council's incompetence and the drivers' greed. Edinburgh council has put all its eggs in one basket, with a public transport network comprised almost entirely of buses. There is simply no public transport alternative - no underground, local train service or trams as an alternative. Clearly, the drivers know they have the City over a barrel and are taking advantage of it. They are already very well paid for what they do, yet have the gall to reject a well-above inflation increase of 5% and inconvenience thousands of people to try to grab another 1% on top of that!
Brian, Edinburgh

Well done Lothian Bus for making me waste hard earned money on a black cab this morning despite the fact that I have already invested in a Ridacard. The greed of the drivers haggling over 1% extra, and the executive trying to squeeze the life of drivers in earning that 1% extra is just plain appalling. I wonder if passengers should strike and boycott these buses. We have become so dependent on them such that we can be tossed around like rag dolls.
Ken, Edinburgh, UK

Greed - pure and simple. Drivers need a reality check. 20K for what is essentially a semi-skilled job is more than fair. It's not as though most drivers are highly professional anyway. I've lost count of the number of times I've experienced rudeness at the hands of these drivers. My wife has suffered even more - last week she was late for her train to work as the driver stopped at two different cash machines, trying to get some cash out. Unbelievable. And they want sympathy for their cause? Get a grip.
John, Edinburgh

I agree with not only bus drivers but any public service worker in staking higher pay claims. For years governments have allowed all public services pay to dwindle. This is how it is difficult to retain nurses teachers etc. It is time public service workers had a decent take home pay.
Tony Walker, Newtongrange