Full ScotRail timetable to return by Edinburgh festivals
- Published
A full rail timetable should be running for Edinburgh's festivals, a senior ScotRail executive has said.
There have been reduced train services across Scotland for almost two months during a pay dispute, which has impacted several major events.
Drivers have accepted a 5% pay increase but ScotRail have yet to confirm a date to restore hundreds more journeys.
The operator said on Monday the full timetable could return within 10 days.
However David Simpson, ScotRail's service delivery director, said a further announcement would be made this week.
Crucially, he said the timetable's restoration depended on whether drivers were willing to work overtime and on days off.
He told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "We think they will. We'll work closely with Aslef the trade union to facilitate that process.
"Secondly there's a number of industry logistics we have to go through to re-plan the timetable. Thirdly we want to make sure Covid absence doesn't affect us too much and that we can work around that.
"We'll be in a position to confirm the increased timetable later this week."
Around 700 services were cut on 23 May when the dispute began and an emergency timetable was introduced.
It has had a significant impact on evening services and caused travel disruption for a number of large events.
Fans at Scotland's World Cup play-off against Ukraine at Hampden Park in June had to leave early if they wanted to take the last service home.
Audiences at TRNSMT music festival in Glasgow on Sunday were told they would miss last trains home if they stayed to watch headliner Lewis Capaldi.
And visitors to the Open Championship at St Andrews have been advised to consider transport options other than rail.
Mr Simpson insisted the full timetable would resume by the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Edinburgh International Festival, which both start on 5 August.
It will be the first full programme of Edinburgh Festival Fringe events since 2019
He said: "That's been immensely frustrating - we're used to seeing rail as a key partner for these big events and people relying on rail to get to and from and enjoying the events without that kind of worry.
"The good news now with the drivers accepting the deal is we can get back to that point, we can support events in Scotland through the rest of the summer.
"I'm hoping very much that by the time the [Edinburgh] Festival comes we'll be back to full timetable and we can convey thousands of people to and from that event as we normally do."
The big question for rail passengers is how quickly ScotRail will restore its normal timetable.
The company has yet to give a date but has advised passengers its temporary timetable will still be running this weekend.
The key factor is how many drivers will be available to work on rest days or do overtime.
Aslef and ScotRail will be working together in the coming days on the return of a full service. A date is likely to be announced soon.
It should be remembered that drivers were simply declining to work additional hours - this was not industrial action by the union.
ScotRail had previously suggested it could take up to 10 days to restore the full timetable.
Officially restoring a full service on, say, a Thursday may seem random even if this were possible - there is an argument that it would be clearer to the public if the timetable changed on a Monday.
However the company has been able to make gradual improvements in the temporary timetable in recent weeks, restoring some early morning and evening services. Could more return before the official return to normality?
Meanwhile it should be remembered the threat of further disruption because of entirely separate disputes elsewhere on the rail network continues.
ScotRail drivers will see their pay climb by 5% and also get more money for rest day and Sunday working, driving instructor and maternity pay along with a policy of no compulsory redundancies for the next five years.
The nationalised train operator said 2.2% of the increase would be funded by Transport Scotland with the remaining 2.8% coming from ScotRail's funds.
ScotRail came back into public ownership for the first time in 25 years in April, after previous operator Abellio had its franchise ended early over criticism of the quality of the service.
- Published11 July 2022
- Published10 July 2022
