Train services across the region may soon be restored fully after drivers agreed a fresh pay deal to end an ongoing dispute.
A temporary timetable has been in place in recent months after members of the ASLEF union - which represents train drivers - refused to work days off and overtime.
It had led to carnage across Scotland’s rail network - with trains calling at Stirling, Dunblane and Bridge of Allan into the two major cities cut back.
The timetable changes had seen the final train leaving Glasgow Queen Street for Stirling departing at 7.49pm, rather than 11.10pm - while the last train from Edinburgh to Stirling left at 8.03pm, more than three hours earlier than the previous train.
The situation in Dunblane had previously seen community councillors there claiming that the temporary timetable had left passengers there with “no effective service” to Glasgow and asked for the Transport Minister to commit to an “urgent review” of the service through the town.
The agreed offer will see drivers given a five per cent pay rise, as well as improvements in conditions.
These include changes to pay for rest day working, Sunday working allowances, driving instructor allowances, maternity pay and a commitment of no compulsory redundancies for five years.
The latest development was welcomed by Stirling MSP Evelyn Tweed, who wrote on social media: “Very pleased to hear that ASLEF members have accepted the pay offer for train drivers.
“Hopefully this will allow ScotRail services to return to a normal timetable in the near future.
“I continue to be concerned however about the threat of industrial action in the ongoing dispute between RMT members and Network Rail. Hopefully the uncertainty surrounding the leadership of the UK Government does not prolong this dispute.”
In a statement following news of the accepted deal, Scotrail have confirmed they will “engage” with ASLEF to restore the full timetable “as soon as possible”, but warned that it remained a complex process which relied on drivers working on both rest days and overtime.
David Simpson, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said: “I am delighted that ASLEF members have voted for this pay deal.
“All parties involved have worked hard to find an agreement that recognises the hard work of staff and the financial challenges faced by the railway as we look to recover from the pandemic.
“ScotRail, our staff, and our customers want to have a reliable, efficient, and sustainable railway that supports the economy and connects communities across the country. This deal is a significant step towards delivering that.”
