Shoppers and people travelling to work face the prospect of a bus strike in September.

The Unite union is currently ballotting its 800 members employed as bus drivers at Arriva depots in Kent and Essex on whether they wish to strike over a pay demand.

Arriva, which is a subsidiary of the state-owned German Deutsche Bahn company, has offered its workers a pay rise of 7.8% - which is well under the current rate of inflation of 9.4% as measured in June by the Consumer Prices Index, with inflation expected to climb still higher thanks to soaring energy prices.

The union points out that Arriva has made £560 million in profits over the past 10 years, while Deutche Bahn recorded profits of £5.9 billion in the same period.

The bus drivers are currently taking part in a ballot that closes on Friday, August 12.

If they agree to strike, stoppages could start before the end of September.

Unite said it had held extensive negotiations with Arriva, but had been unable to shift the company from its position, which, it says, represents a substantial pay-cut in real terms.

Bus drivers earn on average around £12.12 an hour.

The general secretary of Unite, Sharon Graham, said: “Arriva and its parent company, Deutsche Bahn, are fabulously wealthy and can fully afford to make our members a decent pay offer.

"The company is prioritising paying dividends to shareholders over decent wages for workers.

"Unite will provide its members with the union’s total support until a pay offer which meets members’ expectations is made, which would resolve the dispute.”

During the last 10 years, Deutsche Bahn has paid out £4.3 billion in dividends to its owner, the German government.

The bus depots affected are at Gillingham, Maidstone, Gravesend and Tunbridge Wells in Kent, and at Colchester, Harlow and Southend-on-Sea in Essex.

It is expected that if the drivers do take industrial action, it will create considerable disruption to the bus network across both counties.

Unite's regional officer Janet Nobbs said: “Passengers in Kent will be worried about potential disruption to services, but this dispute is of Arriva’s own making.

"Despite extensive negotiations it has refused to make a fair offer to its workforce.

“Strike action could still be avoided if the company returns to the negotiating table and makes an improved offer.”

A spokesman for Arriva said: "Our people play a hugely important role in keeping communities moving and they fully deserve a pay rise – especially with the cost of living increasing so much.

"That is why, despite the significant pressures on the bus sector with increasing costs and passenger numbers still at below pre-pandemic levels, we have offered our people a generous pay rise that is far higher than most workers are receiving from their employers at a time of considerable economic pressure.

"Strike action causes huge disruption to our customers and local communities and we urge our employees not to ballot for strike.”

The union would not be drawn on the tactics it would use if the ballot were in favour of a strike.

In current industrial disputes on the railways, transport unions have chosen to strike on selected days, but Unite's Arriva members in the North West of the country are already on strike and have chosen to take all-out continuous industrial action.

They are now in their third week of a strike, meaning there are almost no buses running Birkenhead, Bolton, Bootle, Liverpool, Macclesfield, Manchester, Runcorn, Southport, Speke, St Helens or Winsford.

Unite is also currently ballotting its members in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire on whether to take industrial action.

Stuart Jeffery is Maidstone' only Green borough councillor. Although greatly in favour of pubic transport, he said he would support the bus drivers taking strike action if they thought it necessary.

He said: "There is a cost of living crisis. We need people to do these essential jobs and it's absolutely right that they should be paid properly.

"The Government and many companies seem to have very warped idea of proper pay levels.

"It will be unfortunate for bus users if there is a strike, but if people can't afford to live they have to be able to take strike action."

Kent transport campaigner James Willis said: "I've personally experienced the effect of the bus strikes in Leeds. It's very disruptive. It cost me three times as much to get around, and many people were left isolated.

"So obviously strikes are to be avoided if possible."

Mr Willis said: "But remember these drivers supplied a vital public service throughout the pandemic.

"They deserve a wage they can live on.

"I urge Arriva to do everything it can to make the drivers an improved offer.

"Public transport is vital to the economy, perhaps the Government should step in to give some support to the industry."