Commuters face a Monday of misery, as rail disruption is set to drag into next week, despite a union calling off its planned strike.
Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) members had been due to stage 24-hour walkouts on Saturday, Monday and Wednesday in their dispute with Network Rail, but leaders cancelled the strikes on Friday.
ScotRail said there would still be a reduced service on Saturday due to the action being called off at the 11th hour, and the newly nationalised operator has now confirmed it would go ahead with a skeleton service on Monday.
Liam Sumpter, route director at Network Rail Scotland, said: “While it is positive news that the RMT has called off these strikes, the very late notice means that it is not possible to reintroduce a full timetable on Saturday and Monday.
“We are working hard alongside ScotRail and our other operators to reintroduce services as quickly as possible for customers.”
ScotRail has so far pencilled in 15 routes set to be running, which includes trains between Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as services between Carlisle and Dumfries, Ayr and Stranraer, Inverness and Wick, and between Inverness and Kyle of Lochalsh.
But the operator has urged passengers to check ahead of time, with it working to add more services before the start of the week.
David Simpson, ScotRail’s service delivery director, said he welcomed the announcement the RMT had called off their strike.
“Strike action does nothing for the railway’s recovery or reputation at this fragile time. It impacts customers, staff, and the economy,” he said.
The disruption caused by potential strike action by the RMT is part of the union’s battle with National Rail for better pay and conditions for its workers, and involved signalling workers as well as staff at 14 train companies across the UK.
Mick Lynch, the union’s general secretary, said: “The threat of strike action and our strongly supported industrial campaign has made the rail employers see sense.
“We have always wanted to secure a negotiated settlement and that is what we will continue to push for in this next phase of intensive talks.
“Our priority is our members, and we are working towards securing a deal on job security, a decent pay rise and good working conditions.”
It is continuing its re-ballot of members to secure a fresh mandate for action with the result due on 15 November.
But there could be yet more rail chaos in Scotland, with the union threatening to walk out every Friday and Saturday in the run-up to Christmas as part of a separate dispute with ScotRail.
Meanwhile, delayed trains have cost ScotRail more than £400,000 in compensation in the first six months of the service’s nationalisation.
Commuters are entitled to make claims to the delay repay scheme when their train is delayed by 30 minutes or more.
ScotRail, which was nationalised by the Scottish Government in April, paid out £406,686 in total from 1 April to 15 October, according to data obtained by the Scottish Liberal Democrats using Freedom of Information requests.
The service has been plagued by disruption as rail staff walked out in disputes over pay.
Train drivers’ union Aslef resolved a wage row with the Scottish Government, but separate walkouts are planned as members of the RMT union demand an increase.
Industrial action will begin on 19 November and will continue every Friday and Saturday in December until Christmas, the union has said.
Jill Reilly, the Lib Dem transport spokeswoman, said the extent of the compensation could be far higher if everyone applied for reimbursement.
She said: “The Scottish Government took the rail contract away from Abellio because thousands of trains were regularly running late.
“The Scottish Government need to tell taxpayers how much money has been set aside to meet delay repay payments and when they think they will have this under control.
“Commuters and rail users need a service they can rely on if we are to tempt people out of private cars.
“For the good of the planet, the Government must ensure that all services are running once more and that the trains are arriving on time.”
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “Any disruption to passengers is regrettable and it is only right that ScotRail do all they can to compensate where journeys are delayed or cancelled.
“The number of compensation cases paid out between 1 April to mid-August 2022 represents approximately 0.08% of over 23 million journeys made in the same period.
“Rather than criticise ScotRail for past disruption, particularly when fault can lie elsewhere such as the recent Network Rail strikes, we are focused on ensuring the publicly-owned ScotRail is a success.”
Phil Campbell, ScotRail’s head of customer operations, said: We are absolutely committed to providing the best possible service for our customers and our Delay Repay Guarantee is at heart of that approach.
“We know how much of an inconvenience it is to customers when things don’t go to plan, and it is only right that they are compensated when that happens.”
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