ScotRail


is
reducing
the
number
of
trains
it
runs
each
day
because
it
says
not
enough
drivers
are
volunteering
to
work
overtime
or
on
rest
days.

The
Scottish
Government’s
operator
had
already
cut
Sunday
services
and
closed
four
stations
on
that
day,
but
it
now
says
reductions
will
be
introduced
on
all
routes
from
tomorrow
(Wednesday),
although
the
times
of
first
and
last
trains
will
be
unchanged.

ScotRail
is
also
facing
the
possibility
of
a
new
round
of
strikes
or
overtime
bans,
after
the
drivers’
union
ASLEF
warned
that
it
is
asking
its
Executive
Committee
to
approve
a
ballot
for
industrial
action
over
pay.

ScotRail
says
it
has
been
in
discussions
over
pay
with
ASLEF,
RMT,
TSSA,
and
Unite,
and
a 
formal
pay
offer
‘in
line
with
the
Scottish
Government’s
public
sector
pay
policy’
was
made
on
5
July.
However,
this
was
rejected
by
the
unions.

The
operator
said
it
is
recruiting
160
drivers
a
year,
but
some
rest
day
working
and
overtime
is
still
needed
to
run
a
full
timetable,
which
is
often
the
case
with
other
operators
as
well.

ScotRail
service
delivery
director
Mark
Ilderton
said:
’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.’