A woman who lost her job after she was deemed 'too short' to drive buses safely after a redesign of the vehicle has finally been reinstated.
Tracey Scholes, 57, had been told she was unable to drive safely due to her height and was given her notice in November after turning down alternative offers from her employer.
Go North West made changes to their vehicles which meant she could no longer “reach the pedals to drive” without a blind spot appearing.
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She had been working as a bus driver in Manchester for 34 years and was the only woman driver at the Queens Road depot, and among the first to take on the role in Greater Manchester.
Tracey Scholes, 57, who stands at 5ft tall (1.52m), was told she was unfit for her job after a bus redesign left her unable to undertake her duties safely.
She made a desperate appeal for her job on January 11 after being handed her notice, and now the bus firm has said she has been reinstated.
She has "changed her mind" and has accepted an offer on a new proposal to drive different buses, the firms HR director has reportedly said.
The Trades Union Congress announced the decision was made after she won her appeal against her dismissal.
And Manchester City Council leader Cllr Bev Craig also tweeted about the news this evening, adding: "In 2022, there’s power in a union. So make sure you’re in a trade union."
Scott Maynard, the firm's group HR director, said in a statement that the company was pleased that a "valued and long serving driver" was to stay with Go North West.
He added that Mrs Scholes will start earlier to allow her to pick up a bus with wing mirrors of her preference.
Her weekly hours and rate of pay will not change, the BBC reported this evening.
He added: "We have said from the start that we wanted to keep Tracey and we are glad that she has changed her mind and decided to stay.
"The company operates no height restrictions on recruitment, and has multiple drivers of the same height, or below, as Tracey.
"It is categorically untrue that we would, or could, have threatened anybody with dismissal on grounds of height."
The reason, claims Unite the union, was that since the operator had repositioned its wing mirrors, Tracey was deemed too short to use them at the same time as reaching the pedals.
Last month, Unite claims that bosses ruled that Tracey no longer had the 'capability' to safely drive their buses and offered her an alternative role at the company, but for less hours and pay.
However she declined the offer and was given 12 weeks' notice, a decision which she appealed.
Thousands signed a petition calling for Mrs Scholes to be reinstated and supporters gathered outside the Queens Road bus depot in Cheetham Hill where the appeal hearing took place last week.
Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham said: "Tracey Scholes is back in the driving seat where she belongs.
"Tracey's supporters have good reason to celebrate. Go Ahead have finally come to their senses and agreed to Unite's demand for Tracey's hours and pay to be protected.
"It is a great victory and a testimony to Tracey’s spirit, and the solidarity of all her union colleagues, to secure this change of mind by her Go Ahead employers."
"As the first woman bus driver at the Manchester depot, with 34 years unblemished service, Tracey deserved to be treated with dignity. It's terrific news that she can continue to drive her bus."
