UNION chiefs and Wilts and Dorset bus company managers have reached an impasse and more strikes look certain to go ahead.

The dispute over driving hours has raged for almost a year, and strike action over the same issue was planned but postponed last summer.

On Thursday, drivers from Blandford, Bournemouth, Lymington, Poole, Ringwood and Swanage depots staged the first of four day-long strikes, and now conciliation service Acas could be called in to help resolve the issue.

But Wilts and Dorset managing director Alex Carter said fresh talks were unlikely to take place before the end of next week - probably too late to halt the next strike on Tuesday, January 8.

The union wants the current maximum driving time cut from five-and-a-half hours without a break, to four-and-a-half hours.

But Wilts and Dorset say the current maximum is what's required by law, and claim most shifts - 85 per cent - were only four-and-a-half hours or less.

Mr Carter said: "We have no planned meeting at the moment. We are desperate to see some kind of movement from the RMT (Rail Maritime and Transport Union) rather than four-and-a-half hours or nothing."

He added: "These things do get resolved but it's hard to see quite how unless there is some movement from their side."

Mr Carter admitted that in "rare" circumstances a driver would be behind the wheel for the full five-and-a-half hours, but said shifts included "non-driving time" at depots and between trips.

He said: "Normally there's the option of taking a loo break or stretching legs or having a smoke. I accept that doesn't always happen when there are traffic delays and they get back late."

But Peter Gale, Wessex regional organiser of the RMT, said such breaks were rare thanks to heavy traffic and passenger loads.

"If you are running late - and it only needs to be two or three minutes late - you find you're due out immediately."

He said the increasing number of five-and-half-hour shifts put drivers under unreasonable and even dangerous pressure.

"Imagine sitting at a desk or driving a car or working heavy machinery for five-and-a-half hours without the opportunity of getting to the toilet, having a quick coffee or even stretching your legs.

"With the current driving conditions the level of concentration needed to drive a double-decker vehicle with 80-odd people on board is really huge.

"To keep that up for five-and-a-half hours without the chance of a break is potentially unsafe."

Further strike action is scheduled for Tuesday, January 8, Wednesday, January 16, and Monday, January 21.

l Many school buses will still be running on Tuesday. Parents are advised to listen to local radio for updates or visit the website wdbus.co.uk