- The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) has announced 24-hour strike action against East Midlands Railways (EMR) on three consecutive Saturdays in August: the 1st, 8th, and 15th.
- The industrial action stems from the RMT's concerns over the safety of EMR's new Class 810 Aurora fleet, which the union claims operates with significant dangerous faults requiring resets and leading to a loss of active safety systems.
- EMR advises customers to only travel if essential on strike days, as a significantly reduced timetable will operate between 7 am and 7 pm on Intercity and Connect routes, with only one train per hour expected on key lines like London St Pancras to Nottingham and Sheffield.
- In addition to the strikes, RMT members will undertake "action short of strike" from 2-7 August, 9-14 August, and from 16 August indefinitely, which may lead to short-notice alterations or cancellations of services.
- EMR's customer experience director, Philippa Cresswell, stated that the Class 810 fleet met rigorous safety standards and that any suggestion of them not meeting requirements is incorrect, while RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey confirmed strikes would proceed due to EMR's refusal to withdraw the trains.
IN FULL
Major train disruption as union announces August strike action
