SCOTRAIL HOPE FULL SERVICE WILL RESUME BY THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL

Around 700 services were cut on 23 May when the dispute began and an emergency timetable was introduced. This reduced train services across Scotland has impacted several major events.

Fans at Scotland’s World Cup play-off against Ukraine at Hampden Park in June had to leave early if they wanted to take the last service home and audiences at TRNSMT music festival in Glasgow on Sunday were told they would miss last trains home if they stayed to watch headliner Lewis Capaldi.

Now it seems that drivers have accepted a 5% pay increase but ScotRail have yet to confirm a date to restore hundreds more journeys. A key factor is how many drivers will be available to work on rest days or do overtime and the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers & Fireaway (ASLEF) will be working with ScotRail in the coming days on the return of a full service. 

The operator said on Monday the full timetable could return within 10 days; however David Simpson, ScotRail’s service delivery director, said a further announcement would be made this week.

Crucially, he said the timetable’s restoration depended on whether drivers were willing to work overtime and on days off.

Mr Simpson said: “We’ll work closely with Aslef the trade union to facilitate that process. Secondly there’s a number of industry logistics we have to go through to re-plan the timetable. 

Thirdly we want to make sure Covid absence doesn’t affect us too much and that we can work around that. We’ll be in a position to confirm the increased timetable later this week.”

Mr Simpson insisted the full timetable would resume by the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Edinburgh International Festival, which both start on 5 August.

He added: “That’s been immensely frustrating – we’re used to seeing rail as a key partner for these big events and people relying on rail to get to and from and enjoying the events without that kind of worry.

The good news now with the drivers accepting the deal is we can get back to that point, we can support events in Scotland through the rest of the summer. I’m hoping very much that by the time the Edinburgh Festival comes we’ll be back to full timetable and we can convey thousands of people to and from that event as we normally do.”

The company has advised passengers its temporary timetable will still be running this weekend.