ScotRail services return as RMT strike ends

Trains are returning to Scotland’s rail network after the latest strike by RMT members.

No trains ran on Boxing Day as union members who work for Network Rail walked out again in a long-running dispute over pay and conditions.

Some ScotRail services started running again from 07:15.

But many routes will not return to normal until later in the day, with passengers urged to check the ScotRail website for details.

Workers walked out at 18:00 on Christmas Eve and returned at 06:00 on Tuesday, but signal boxes will be reopening at different times across the country.

ScotRail services will operate on a normal timetable on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week.

But the RMT intends to hold a further four days of strike action next week in the UK-wide dispute, with ScotRail saying it will only be able to run a limited service between 3 and 7 January.

The union’s Network Rail members maintain rail lines, stations and signal boxes.

Liam Sumpter, route director for Network Rail Scotland, apologised to passengers for the disruption over the festive period, and said anyone planning to travel by train should check what services are running in advance.

He said: “We remain committed to working with the RMT to find a solution to this dispute, but we also need to agree a deal that is fair on the taxpayers who fund our railway.”

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch has said that the union was still available for talks to resolve the dispute.

But he added: “Until the government gives the rail industry a mandate to come to a negotiated settlement on job security, pay and condition of work, our industrial campaign will continue into the new year, if necessary.”

Meanwhile, members of another rail union – the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) – started a 24-hour strike at 21:00 on Boxing Day as part of a campaign for a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies, no unagreed changes to terms and conditions, and a pay increase which addresses the rising cost of living.

The walkouts were expected to severely impact services at CrossCountry, which includes staff in Scottish cities as far north as Aberdeen.

TSSA members work in roles including customer service managers, driver managers, trainers, control, customer communications, safety, timetabling and planning.