Tramways Union members will be heading back to driving duties tomorrow following an Employment Court ruling which brings an end to NZ Bus’ indefinite lockout.

Greater Wellington Chair Daran Ponter calls the ruling a victory for common sense and says the decision will pave the way for much more positive negotiations in the coming weeks.

“This is the news that Wellingtonians, politicians, business owners and retailers needed to hear. The lockout was threatening to leave thousands of Wellingtonians in the lurch and have a real impact on our region’s economy.

“We’ve put the living wage on the table for all of our operators and we’ve said from the start that mediation should be the first lever that both parties reach for when negotiations get tough," says Chair Ponter.

The Tramways Union and NZ Bus will now head into the mediation that has been facilitated by Greater Wellington.

Scott Gallacher, General Manager for Metlink says the ruling provides much relief for those Wellington City and Hutt City passengers who would’ve been impacted by ongoing lockouts.

“We’re delighted for our passengers, who have been our main priority. This means that drivers can now start reporting for duties from tomorrow and help passengers travelling on NZ Bus’ City and Hutt services get to where they need to go.

"Our focus now is making sure that passengers know that all NZ Bus services will be back in action. Following that we'll be keeping passengers up to date with any progress between the Tramways Union and NZ Bus.

“Passengers will be looking forward to seeing constructive mediation and hoping that it concludes as quickly as possible, with the best possible outcome for all concerned," says Scott Gallacher.

Passengers can keep up to date with Metlink's website and app.

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