ScotRail are warning passengers of a limited service this weekend due to strike action.
The dispute involves Network Rail signallers and maintenance staff in Scotland who are members of the RMT.
They will be on strike today (Friday) and tomorrow in a pay dispute with their employer.
Although the dispute does not involve ScotRail staff, it is having a major impact on the train operator’s ability to provide services.
Around 40,000 RMT Network Rail union members are taking part in UK-wide strike action.
ScotRail will be operating to a strike timetable – running services on 12 routes across the central belt, Fife, and the Borders between 7.30am and 6.30pm.
ScotRail service delivery director David Simpson said: “We are still advising customers to check their journeys before they travel and we’re reminding them that we will have to revert to our strike timetable on Friday and Saturday, which we know will be really frustrating for
them.”
The routes taking in the Forth Valley area on which services will run on Friday and Saturday are: Edinburgh Waverley – Larbert (one train per hour); Glasgow Queen Street – Larbert (one train per hour); Glasgow Queen Street – Falkirk Grahamston (one train per hour).
Click here for more news and sport from the Stirling area.
The Edinburgh Waverley – Glasgow Queen Street route via Falkirk High will have two trains per hour.
Due to the greater reliance on manual signalling outside the Central Belt, Network Rail is unable to facilitate passenger services on any other routes on the strike days.
Customers are also warned that final services on strike days will depart well before 6.30pm, so they should plan ahead and ensure they know when their last train will leave. They should only travel if they really need to and should consider alternative options where possible.
Signal boxes are key pieces of Network Rail infrastructure located across the rail network that control train movements. Their use is critical to ensure that the railway can operate safely.
ScotRail this week announced extra services to the timetable for the non-strike day of Thursday January 5 after initially advising a limited timetable would be in operation.
Customers are advised to check their entire journey on the operator’s website, mobile app, or social media channels before they travel.
The train operator has updated its retail systems to reflect the impact of strike action.
Visit www.scotrail.co.uk/strike for more information.
