There are thousands of vacancies for bus drivers in the UK

Bus firms Shamrock Travel, based in Pontypridd, and Glyn Williams Travel in Risca, south Wales, say they cannot get people living in the area to apply for full time jobs.

They say they have little choice but to advertise abroad and have had "an overwhelming response" from people in Malta - 176 drivers applied, with an anticipated 107 people starting jobs in April 2004.

When we heard about the opportunity to access a large pool of experienced bus drivers, we welcomed it Ian Macdonald, Glyn Williams Travel

"We have got to look abroad to get workers," said Shamrock Managing Director Clayton Jones.

Glyn Williams Travel's manager Ian Macdonald said: "Some of our drivers will only work 30 hours a week, which equates to three days because if they work any more it will affect payments to the Child Support Agency and their tax credits," he said.

"We just can't run our business like that, we need stable numbers of drivers.

Low unemployment

"When we heard about the opportunity to access a large pool of experienced bus drivers, we welcomed it."

But Pontypridd's Labour MP Dr Kim Howells said the government's family tax credits were designed to encourage people to return to work.

He said: "Unemployment has never been lower in south Wales and the labour market is a very competitive one and bus companies have to pay the going rate if they want the staff to stay with them.

"There are plenty of people who, for whatever reason are not working, would very much like to be more productive if the terms were right.

"The family tax credits were designed to boost the earnings of low paid workers up to a living wage."

Mr Macdonald said that bus companies across the UK were struggling to fill around 30,000 vacancies nationally, with many firms recruiting drivers from abroad.

Shortage

He described the trend of employing foreign drivers as similar to recruiting Filipino nurses to tackle the nursing shortage.

The Maltese drivers, who are favoured by the Welsh firms because they drive on the left like the British, are expected to be interviewed for the posts in February.

They will receive a fortnightly wage of �694 and accommodation and will be offered English lessons.

Ivan Said from the Maltese equivalent of the UK's employment service, the Employment and Training Corporation said the salary offered was probably the main reason for the number of applicants.

"Some people living in the Maltese islands grab the opportunity to go abroad," he said.