Bus drivers have gone back to work following a temporary disruption to services this morning.

Operators walked off the job before services began earlier today because of reported plumbing issues at the St George’s and main Devonshire depots.

The Royal Gazette understands that the plumbing issues meant that staff were unable to take bathroom breaks and refused to start work until the faults had been repaired. As a result, all early-morning bus services across the Island were scrapped, leaving many schoolchildren and commuters stranded.

Government engineers were called in and the plumbing issues have now been resolved “in the short term”. A Transport Ministry spokesman has now confirmed that drivers started work at around 10.30am.

“DPT management and staff would like to apologise to our residents and visitors who were inconvenienced this morning,” the spokesman said.

“Plumbing issues at both the St. George’s depot and Devonshire depot meant there were no bathroom facilities for bus operators. DPT management have worked with Works & Engineering staff to rectify the problem in the short term and have developed the way forward to ensure there are long term solutions so that these problems do not occur in future.”