ScotRail has warned Lanarkshire passengers that a limited timetable will remain in place tomorrow, December 15.
It means local routes will be restricted to two trains per hour as the pay dispute with rail workers rumbles on.
Despite Thursday not being a strike day for staff, and following today and yesterday's industrial action and two further days this weekend, tomorrow's services will still be "severely impacted".
Shift patterns of key staff such as Network Rail signallers are staggered throughout the day making reopening the full network between 48-hour strikes too complex, say the train operators.
Additionally, the complexity of re-writing timetables and the time required to accurately update retail systems means that on Thursday ScotRail will operate the same limited timetable that has been in operation on the previous strike dates (December 13 and 14) and will operate on the next strike dates (December 16 and 17).
The train operator’s services will operate on 12 routes across the central belt, Fife, and the Borders between the hours of 07.30 and 18.30.
The routes and frequency of service which will be in operation on December 15, 16, and 17 December are:
Edinburgh Waverley – Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk High: two trains per hour
Edinburgh Waverley – Helensburgh Central: two trains per hour
Glasgow Central – Hamilton/Larkhall: two trains per hour
Glasgow Central – Lanark: two trains per hour
Edinburgh Waverley – Glasgow Central via Shotts: one train per hour
Edinburgh Waverley – Cowdenbeath: two trains per hour
Edinburgh Waverley – Tweedbank: two trains per hour
Edinburgh Waverley – North Berwick: one train per hour
Edinburgh Waverley – Larbert: one train per hour
Glasgow Queen Street – Larbert: one train per hour
Glasgow Queen Street – Falkirk Grahamston: one train per hour
Milngavie – Springburn: two trains per hour
ScotRail is also warning customers that the final services will depart well before 6.30pm so customers should plan ahead and ensure they know when their last train will depart.
The important messages for customers are:
There will be no service except on 12 ScotRail routes across the central belt, Fife, and Borders on Thursday as well as on Friday and Saturday.
For the routes on which will operate a service, customers should only travel if they really need to and should consider alternative options where possible.
Customers who have already purchased a rail ticket can seek a fee-free refund or claim compensation through ScotRail’s Delay Repay Guarantee, up to 28 days after they were due to travel.
Alternatively, customers can use their ticket to travel up to and including Tuesday, December 20.
The RMT has also announced plans for strike action between December 24-27, and January 3-4 and 6-7.
David Simpson, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said: “We’re reminding customers that ScotRail services will be severely disrupted tomorrow (Thursday, 15 December) with the same limited timetable in place as today (Wednesday, 14 December), despite their being no strike action on Thursday.
“This is due to the complexity of key Network rail staff’s shift patterns on the day between strikes and the complexity of reinstating services for one day ahead of the next 48-hour strike action on Friday and Saturday (16 and 17 December).
“We know this will be really frustrating for our customers, but we’re advising those planning to travel to seek alternative means of transport and to only travel if they really need to on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
“Customers should check their journey in advance to make sure your train is running.”
More information for customers is available at www.scotrail.co.uk/strike.
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