The island’s bus drivers have been paid more than £373,000 in overtime in the last 12 months.

Figures released following a Freedom of Information request by 3FM journalist Jason Roberts reveal that the Bus Vannin drivers worked a total of 23,469 hours of overtime in the 12 months up to September this year and were paid a total of £373,129.

Bus Vannin currently employs 92 drivers.

The FoI response shows that the amount paid in overtime has dropped considerably since 2012, when it employed 110 drivers.

In the 12 months to September 2013, the drivers worked 29,510 hours of overtime and were paid a total of £491,588.

The following year, overtime pay totalled £473,657 and had fallen to 439,268 by 2015 and to 40,5354 by September 2016.

Total overtime pay over five years topped £2.18m.

Bus Vannin drivers carried out a five-day work-to-rule in August in a dispute over holiday entitlement during TT. It meant that staff worked only their contractual hours and not any overtime.

Unite regional officer Eric Holmes Unite urged management to get back around the table to as soon as possible to resolve the bus drivers’ dispute.

He insisted the drivers had the support of visitors and the Manx public. And he claimed the action had highlighted a shortage of drivers to operate the timetabled service.

Bus drivers last took industrial action in 2013 when they went on strike in a long-running dispute over changes to their contracts.

Bus Vannin management said 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 offer was to reduce the number on holiday during TT to six and change the working agreement to spread leave throughout the year by allocating holidays before October.

DoI chief executive Nick Black said: ’The island’s employment law provides that staff must be able to take their leave but does not give staff the right to choose dates.

’We cannot allow all our staff to be off at the same time.

’Now we have fewer drivers we have to allow fewer numbers on holiday.’

Unite has warned the industrial action may escalate if it is not resolved soon.