ScotRail introduce temporary timetable with changes to Highland schedule
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A temporary ScotRail timetable will be introduced from Monday May 23 in response to a significant number of drivers declining to make themselves available for overtime or rest day working.
This follows an announcement by the drivers’ union Aslef that it will ballot for industrial action over pay.
The temporary timetable for Monday – Friday can be viewed online at scotrail.co.uk/timetable-update.
From Monday, the last train to Caithness from Inverness will leave at 2pm, with the 6.30pm service slashed. The final train to Tain will leave at 5.12pm, after ScotRail cut the 9pm departure.
ScotRail is currently working on temporary timetables for Saturdays, which will be broadly similar to the Monday to Friday timetable, as well as timetables for Sundays, and will update customers in the coming days.
The train operator said the temporary changes will provide greater certainty for customers as the current level of cancellations is not sustainable for customers and colleagues.
Like many train operators across Britain, ScotRail has relied on drivers working overtime or on their rest days. In 2019, ScotRail committed to employing more drivers to phase out the reliance on this practice, however, the pandemic meant that driver training was significantly delayed.
ScotRail is still awaiting formal notification from Aslef and the RMT on the details of the ballots of its members for industrial action.
The train operator said it is disappointed to find itself at this stage with both trade unions, despite a very good offer being made.
ScotRail say it has made a good pay offer that recognises the work of colleagues and the cost-of-living challenges faced by families across the country, while delivering value for the taxpayer.
David Simpson, ScotRail service delivery director, said:“We are very sorry to customers for the disruption of recent days.
"We know what customers want more than anything is certainty and reliability, which is why we are introducing a temporary timetable.
“We want to resolve this dispute with the trade unions and move forward together to provide the safest, greenest, and most reliable railway we can for Scotland. We remain open to further talks with the trade unions.
“We’re asking customers to check their journey on our website, mobile app, and through our social media channels as train times will have changed.”
