Rail passengers are being warned of “severe disruption” this Sunday, as industrial action results in cancellation of the “vast majority” of services.
Lanarkshire’s only trains will be those stopping at the six Coatbridge and Airdrie stations served by the main Glasgow to Edinburgh line through the towns – while “limited bus services” will be in place to serve key workers travelling to shifts at Wishaw and Hairmyres hospitals.
Members of the RMT union voted to strike in a dispute about rest day working arrangements for ticket examiners, with services expected to be affected on at least the next four Sundays.
Train operator Scotrail is asking customers to plan journeys in advance, saying there will only be hourly services on the Airdrie-Balloch line, running between 9am and 7.30pm; plus hourly Helensburgh-Edinburgh services via the same Monklands route between 8.30am and 7pm.
Scotrail says it “will not be able to provide the same level of services to essential workers and those seeking a return to normality over the next few Sundays.
“There will be a slight increase to the number of services that ran compared to last Sunday, most notably Helensburgh to Edinburgh.
“Customers are being advised to check to make sure trains are still running on their route – anyone who has already purchased a ticket can travel either the day before or after the strike action; alternatively, a refund is available.”
Operations director David Simpson said: “The continuing strike action by the RMT will have a significant impact on customers who are returning to the railway as lockdown eases.
“At a time when we need to attract people back to the railway to recover the business and secure jobs, the RMT’s damaging actions are wrong and will turn people away. The RMT is putting railway jobs at risk.
“We will do everything we can to minimise the consequences of this action, but recognise that customers will potentially have to find alternative travel solutions as a result of this strike.”
RMT officials are campaigning for “pay justice and equality in light of operator Abellio’s failure to treat all grades of workers equally in respect of rest day working arrangements”, saying that an enhanced payment in place for drivers until October is not being made available to other grades.
General secretary Mick Lynch said: “All grades of Scotrail workers are essential workers who have worked tirelessly throughout the Covid-19 pandemic to keep Scotland’s rail services running.
“All that RMT Scotrail conductor and ticket examiner members are seeking is parity between grades.
“It is a kick in the teeth for these workers that, despite their commitment throughout the pandemic, Abellio is refusing to treat all grades equally and is instead preoccupied with issuing provocative statements criticising its own workforce; it’s high time that the Scottish Government stepped in and committed to meaningful talks.”
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