ScotRail slashes the number of peak commuter services on busiest routes amid ongoing driver pay dispute

Scotrail has been accused of ‘economic vandalism’ after slashing hundreds of services in a temporary timetable amid ongoing threat of strikes.

The SNP Government run rail service has announced that cuts will lead to half the number of peak commuter trains and an overall drop of 26 per cent of all journeys from tomorrow.

They blamed a breakdown in pay talks between the government and unions leading to a ban on overtime.

The operator is now claiming their new timetable will provide ‘certainty and reliability’ compared with recent late-notice cancellations.

However, Aslef have accused SNP ministers of ‘taking a fantasy land approach to industrial relations on our railways’ and they should return to the negotiating table.

The first and last trains on more than half of all routes would remain the same but services during peak times will revert to an off-peak service. 

The temporary timetable involves 1,660 services operating daily from Monday to Saturday, compared with the usual level of around 2,250.

In a statement, ScotRail said: ‘This is a result of the ongoing impact of fewer train drivers than normal currently being available for overtime or rest day working, as is their contractual right, following confirmation from drivers’ union Aslef that it will recommend to its executive committee a ballot for industrial action over pay.’

The rail operator said it is recruiting 160 new drivers but ‘some rest day working and overtime is still needed to deliver a normal timetable’, adding this has ‘historically been the case in the railway and is replicated in other train operators across Britain’.

ScotRail said that where there are normally four trains per hour during peak hours on services such as those between Glasgow and Edinburgh, there will now only be a half hourly service. 

Journeys between Dundee and Edinburgh will also reduce to one an hour.

Mark Ilderton, ScotRail service delivery director, added: ‘We are very sorry to customers for the disruption to services.

‘We know that customers want certainty and reliability, which is why we are introducing a temporary timetable, in place of late-notice cancellations.

‘We are operating services which the vast majority of customers use and are still using all the available trains in our fleet so customers can continue to travel.

‘We want to resolve the pay dispute with the trade unions and remain fully committed to further discussions.’

Kevin Lindsay, Aslef Scottish organiser, said ‘Rather than slashing the timetable in an act of economic vandalism that will impact towns and cities across Scotland as well as Scotland’s rail passengers, ScotRail and the Scottish Government must get serious about pay and urgently get back round the negotiating table with a serious and credible offer.

‘The Scottish Government is currently taking a fantasy land approach to industrial relations on our railways. 

'We met the First Minister, John Swinney on the 28th May and told him then that the offer being made to our members was completely unacceptable and sadly, ScotRail have parroted this same offer ever since.’

Scottish Conservative transport spokesperson Douglas Lumsden called for a full timetable to be restored urgently and warned of the impact on the economy. 

He said: ‘The reduction in services will have a major impact on people getting to and from work as well as those looking to journey by train during the school summer holidays.

‘The SNP cannot hide behind ScotRail and must take responsibility for failing to tackle this situation before it reached this point.

‘With major sporting events and music festivals happening imminently, it is imperative that John Swinney and his SNP colleagues get a grip of this dispute, before it deeply damages Scotland’s economy.’

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: ‘While train planning and staff rotas are operational matters for ScotRail, we fully expect any timetable to give the best reliability and availability for passengers and that changes are communicated well in advance to enable effective journey planning.

‘We acknowledge the desire of rail unions to negotiate a fair settlement for their members.

‘ScotRail, as a public body and the employer, has responsibility and the ability to negotiate within the limits of public sector pay metrics.

‘However, as rail unions have been made aware, any offer beyond these requires Scottish Government approval at senior level following the appropriate process.

‘We would encourage rail unions to continue meaningful dialogue with ScotRail, so that a mutually agreeable outcome can be reached as soon as possible.’