An agreement has been reached in the bus drivers’ dispute which will now go to ballot.

Negotiations took place yesterday and today between representatives of the drivers and the Department of Infrastructure, through the mediation of the Manx Industrial Relations Service.

Eric Holmes from Unite the union said: ’An agreement has been reached between the union and the chief executive and it will now go to a ballot.

’We hope to know the outcome by around midday tomorrow.

’The work-to-rule will continue until the outcome of the ballot is known.’

A work-to-rule began on Monday morning and is scheduled to run until Sunday night.

The dispute centres on the removal of annual leave during TT.

Bus Vannin drivers carried out their first work-to-rule over five days during the MGP in August.

Bus Vannin management say that as the number of drivers has fallen from 110 in 2012 to 92 today, the number on holiday in any one week needs to be cut too - and £100,000 can be saved by reducing holiday cover by two full time drivers.

Its previous offer was to reduce the number of drivers on holiday during TT to six and for staff to have to book their annual holidays up to nine months in advance.

This went to ballot and was unanimously rejected by the Bus Vannin drivers.