ScotRail and RMT union in fresh talks over strike action

ScotRail and the RMT union are holding further talks in a bid to resolve the industrial dispute which led to strike action in June and July.

Further planned walkouts by train staff were called off last week, but a final deal has yet to be reached.

The dispute centres on proposals to run more trains where drivers rather than guards operate the doors.

Last week, ScotRail offered a guarantee that there would be guards on all new electrified trains.

The RMT then announced it would suspend five days of planned strikes while talks continued.

The union insisted the dispute was about "ensuring Scotland's trains run safely".

But ScotRail said the RMT had been running a campaign of "disinformation that doesn't bear any scrutiny".

RMT representatives are meeting with ScotRail in Glasgow.

Following last week's decision to suspend industrial action, RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: "The union has made sufficient progress to enable us to suspend the current programme of industrial action on ScotRail to allow for further detailed discussions on the issue of platform train despatch procedures."

ScotRail have said a solution to the dispute lies "in talks not strikes".

Phil Verster, Managing Director of the ScotRail Alliance, said: "Doing this allows us to get round the table and finalise an agreement that will, hopefully, bring this dispute to an end."