HUNDREDS of bus drivers at Stagecoach Highlands are set to strike after rejecting a deal they say would leave them the poorest paid in Scotland.

About 200 Unite members are expected to take part in the action at the Inverness-based operator, which provides bus services across the Highlands and islands of north-west Scotland.

The pay offer amounted to 4 per cent backdated to July 2024, with a further 2.5 per cent rise in January, but with company profits soaring from £448,000 in 2022 to £1.71 million last year, workers argue they deserve their share.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The company continues to increase its bank balance at the expense of our members, and this is not acceptable.”

Industrial officer Marc Jackson said: “In a matter of weeks Stagecoach bus services across the Highlands, Skye and Orkney could come to a halt because of the company’s greed.

“This dispute could be resolved by a fair and reasonable pay offer to our members.”

A spokesperson for Stagecoach Highlands said: “Our joint negotiating committee of union representatives and management are working hard to reach a fair deal for our team across the region.”