Bus passengers face disruption this week because of a strike by drivers in disputes over pay and conditions.

More than 2,000 members of the Unite union who are employed by French-owned RATP will take action from today (February 22).

Among those striking are workers at London Sovereign, which runs a couple of services in Watford and Bushey, as well as across Harrow and Barnet.

Routes 142 and 258 run between Watford Junction and north London, and Transport for London says passengers on these routes should check before they travel.

Unite members at London Sovereign will walk out today, and again on March 3.

Transport for London says the following services run by London Sovereign will be affected: 79, 142, 183, 251, 258, 288, 303, 326, 395, 398, 642, N5, H9, H10, H11, H12, H14, H17, H18 and H19.

Unite officer Michelle Braveboy said the strikes will cause "serious disruption" to services, adding that terms and conditions are being "attacked", with some drivers facing a pay cut of £2,500 a year.

She said: "Our members have no option other than to fight back against these attacks, while recognising the disruption caused.

"They are reluctant to take strike action at a time of national emergency, but feel they have been pushed against the wall."

Transport for London (TfL) said industrial action will only affect a small proportion of the capital’s buses, with 59 day routes, six 24-hour routes, six night routes and nine school routes – mainly in south-west London – expected to be hit.

TfL said it will ensure as many bus services run as possible but customers in west, south-west and north-west London and parts of Surrey and Hertfordshire are advised to check before they travel from Monday.

Claire Mann, director of Bus Operations at TfL, said: "Customers should check before they travel and leave more time for their journeys, while remembering the Government’s advice to continue to stay at home if they can.

"We urge all parties to sit down and talk through the issues to try and resolve them as soon as possible."

RATP operates a total of three subsidiaries across the London bus network – London Sovereign, as well as London United and Quality Line.

Workers at London United, which provides bus services in south and west London, will strike for three days from Monday, while those at Quality Line, based at a depot in Epsom, Surrey, will take action on Monday and Tuesday.