London, Jan 17 (ANI): A bus driver, who is a committed Christian, has refused to drive a bus bearing the atheist poster that reads: "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and go and enjoy your life."
Ron Heather, 62, who is a churchgoer, went on strike for three days in protest at his bus company employers putting the controversial advertising slogan on the side of their vehicles.
Of the 800 buses that carry the adverts, designed by writer Ariane Sherine to combat aggressive religious posters on public transport, Heather's company First Buses has 20 of the vehicles carrying the slogans.
"I had already heard about them in London and I was hoping they were not coming to Southampton because I did not want to have to make a stand," the Sun quoted Heather, who has worked for the company since 2004, as saying.
"I was just about to board and there it was staring me in the face my first reaction was shock horror.
"I felt that I could not drive that bus, I told my managers and when they said they had not got another one I thought I better go home, so I did.
"I think it was the starkness of the advert that implied there was no God," he stated.
He was next called into a meeting with senior managers, and agreed to get back to work provided they ensured he would only have to drive the buses if there were no others available.
"As a company we understand Mr Heather's views regarding this atheist bus advert and we are doing what we can to accommodate his request not to drive the bus concerned," a spokeswoman for the bus service said.
"Mr Heather accepts though that he may need to drive one of these buses if no other vehicle is available for him.
"As an organisation we do not endorse any of the products or sentiments advertised on our buses.
"The content of this advert has been approved by the Advertising Standards Agency and therefore it is capable of being posted on static sites or anywhere else.
"We advise anyone who has an issue regarding the content of the advert to contact the ASA directly," she added. (ANI)
Ron Heather, 62, who is a churchgoer, went on strike for three days in protest at his bus company employers putting the controversial advertising slogan on the side of their vehicles.
Of the 800 buses that carry the adverts, designed by writer Ariane Sherine to combat aggressive religious posters on public transport, Heather's company First Buses has 20 of the vehicles carrying the slogans.
"I had already heard about them in London and I was hoping they were not coming to Southampton because I did not want to have to make a stand," the Sun quoted Heather, who has worked for the company since 2004, as saying.
"I was just about to board and there it was staring me in the face my first reaction was shock horror.
"I felt that I could not drive that bus, I told my managers and when they said they had not got another one I thought I better go home, so I did.
"I think it was the starkness of the advert that implied there was no God," he stated.
He was next called into a meeting with senior managers, and agreed to get back to work provided they ensured he would only have to drive the buses if there were no others available.
"As a company we understand Mr Heather's views regarding this atheist bus advert and we are doing what we can to accommodate his request not to drive the bus concerned," a spokeswoman for the bus service said.
"Mr Heather accepts though that he may need to drive one of these buses if no other vehicle is available for him.
"As an organisation we do not endorse any of the products or sentiments advertised on our buses.
"The content of this advert has been approved by the Advertising Standards Agency and therefore it is capable of being posted on static sites or anywhere else.
"We advise anyone who has an issue regarding the content of the advert to contact the ASA directly," she added. (ANI)
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