UNITE has claimed victory after the reinstatement of the first woman bus driver at Go North West’s Manchester depot who was forced out of her job for being too short.  

Tracey Scholes will continue to drive buses after her employer, the Go Ahead Group, finally agreed to protect her hours and pay, the transport union announced on Monday evening.

Bosses “essentially designed Tracey out of her job” last year, Unite had charged, after repositioning wing mirrors on some vehicles. 

Being five foot tall, Ms Scholes is now physically unable to operate certain buses.

In November management ruled that she no longer had the capability to drive some vehicles.

She faced dismissal following an appeal unless she accepted a move to unmodified buses.

This change would have resulted in a loss of hours and income, the union had warned.

But after accepting an offer from the company, Ms Scholes will now drive the 52 bus route for a guaranteed 25 hours a week.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Tracey Scholes is back in the driving seat where she belongs.

“Go Ahead have finally come to their senses. It is a great victory and a testimony to Tracey’s spirit, and the solidarity of all her union colleagues.”

The firm said that it is pleased the “valued and long-serving driver” was to stay after she “decided to accept an offer to drive different buses as per a proposal made in September.”

Unite disputed this, arguing that the offer was new. A spokesperson said bosses are trying to “spin their way out of embarrassment. To paraphrase the infamous Mandy Rice-Davies quote, they would, wouldn’t they?”