There is more railway disruption coming down the line as three days of industrial action over better pay and working conditions begin this weekend.
In the latest in a series of strike action by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) to affect train services in the UK, Network Rail and ScotRail workers, along with their counterparts working at other operators south of the border, will go on strike as they continue their fight to secure a pay increase that recognises the cost-of-living crisis.
Railway disruption will hit Scotland and the rest of the UK on Saturday, October 1 when Network Rail staff, who occupy vital safety roles along the network, will down tools for the day.
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They will then strike again one week later on Saturday, October 8.
ScotRail are planning to run a much reduced service on these days of industrial action across the Central Belt, Fife, and Borders. , but there will be no trains running in Renfrewshire due to the greater reliance on manual signalling outside the Central Belt.
ScotRail say services are likely to be affected the days following strike action too.
David Simpson, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said: “It’s really disappointing to see more widespread disruption across the whole Great Britain rail network at a time when we need to be encouraging more people back to the railway.
“For ScotRail, it’s going to mean that we won’t be able to operate the vast majority of our services, which we know will be really frustrating for our customers.
“ScotRail customers should expect significant disruption to services on Saturday, 1 October and Saturday, 8 October, as well as on the following days.
“We’re advising customers to seek alternative means of transport and to only travel if they really need to on the day of strike action. Customers should check your journey in advance to make sure your train is running if you’re travelling on the day following strike action, Sunday, 2 October and Sunday, 9 October.”
Joining the Network Rail workers in their bid to secure better conditions for workers will be ScotRail staff, who will walk out on strike on Monday, October 10, the final day of the SNP’s party conference in Aberdeen. ScotRail staff voted to go on strike in a ballot confirmed on September 20. Of the 1,568 workers who voted 76 per cent of them consented to strike action.
ScotRail say they are working on contingency plans for the service that day.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "We will continue to negotiate in good faith, but the employers and government need to understand our industrial campaign will continue for as long as it takes.”
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