ScotRail reminds customers to expect significant disruption during RMT Network Rail strike action; no services in Inverness and Highlands (or anywhere apart from five central belt routes) on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
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ScotRail is reminding customers to expect several days of significant disruption this week due to strike action by RMT members of Network Rail.
Network Rail strike action will take place on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. This means a very limited number of services will operate on just five ScotRail routes in the central belt, with no service on all other routes.
A ScotRail spokesman said: "For the routes on which we will operate a service, customers should only travel if they really need to and should consider alternative options where possible.
"On the days following strike action – Wednesday, Friday and Sunday – there will be disruption across Scotland’s Railway caused by the reopening of signal boxes at different times across the day.
"Signal boxes are key pieces of infrastructure located across the rail network that control train movements, and their use is critical to ensure that the railway can operate safely."
The three days of strike action were announced by the RMT union following a pay dispute with Network Rail and some Department for Transport train operating companies, and will impact services across the Britain.
This dispute does not involve ScotRail staff, however, it does have a major knock-on effect on the train operator’s ability to provide services as the planned action involves Network Rail staff in Scotland who are members of RMT.
The ScotRail spokesman added: "Many of the Network Rail staff that are due to take part in the planned industrial action occupy safety-critical roles and, as such, it will not be possible for ScotRail to run the vast majority of services."
David Simpson, ScotRail service delivery director, said: “It is very unfortunate to see such widespread disruption across the whole of the Great Britain rail network and we know this will be frustrating for ScotRail customers.
“Regrettably, this strike action by RMT members of Network Rail means that we will not be able to operate the vast majority of our services during the period of strike action.
“We’re reminding customers to expect significant disruption to services this week, including on the days between, and following, strike action which will impact customers travelling to events across the country.
“On the five routes where we are able to operate a very limited service on strike days, we’re urging customers to only travel if they really need to, and to seek alternative means of transport where possible.”
