ScotRail has urged the public only to travel 'if they really need to' as several days of strike action are set to begin on the railways.
Network Rail strike action will be taking place on June 21, 23 and 25 and will leave only a 'very limited' number of services still operating.
Just five ScotRail routes will be running in the Central Belt with no service on all other routes.
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There is also expected to be disruption on the days following the strike action caused by the reopening of signal boxes at different times of the day.
On the days of strike action, ScotRail will only operate services on the remaining routes between the hours 07.30 and 18.30. These routes are:
- Edinburgh – Glasgow via Falkirk High: two trains per hour
- Edinburgh – Bathgate: two trains per hour
- Glasgow – Hamilton/Larkhall: two trains per hour
- Glasgow – Lanark: two trains per hour
- Edinburgh – Glasgow via Shotts: one train per hour
Network Rail will be unable to open any other signal boxes to operate passenger services on any other routes on the strike days.
Final services on the five operational routes will depart well before 18.30, so customers should plan ahead to ensure they know when their last train will run.
ScotRail has also warned that on the days following strike action - 22, 24, and 26 June - there will be disruption across Scotland’s Railway caused by the reopening of signal boxes at different times across the day.
Signal boxes are key pieces of infrastructure located across the rail network that control train movements, and their use is critical to ensure that the railway can operate safely.
While large signalling centres in the Central Belt will be able to operate from 07.15, this will not be the case at signal boxes elsewhere due to the staggered nature of shift patterns and it could be later in the day before many routes are able to operate as normal. This is particularly the case for routes beyond the Central Belt.
ScotRail will also be issuing specific travel advice for events coming up including Liam Gallagher at Hampden Park.
The three days of strike action were announced by the RMT union on Tuesday, 7 June following a pay dispute with Network Rail and some Department for Transport train operating companies, and will impact services across the Great Britain railway network.
This dispute does not involve ScotRail staff, however, it does have a major knock-on effect on the train operator’s ability to provide services as the planned action involves Network Rail staff in Scotland who are members of RMT.
David Simpson, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said: “It is very unfortunate to see such widespread disruption across the whole of the Great Britain rail network and we know this will be frustrating for ScotRail customers.
“Regrettably, this strike action by RMT members of Network Rail means that we will not be able to operate the vast majority of our services during the period of strike action.
“We’re reminding customers to expect significant disruption to services this week, including on the days between, and following, strike action which will impact customers travelling to events across the country.
“On the five routes where we are able to operate a very limited service on strike days, we’re urging customers to only travel if they really need to, and to seek alternative means of transport where possible.”
