Late night trains axed as Scotrail cuts services in pay row with drivers
A temporary timetable will begin on Monday
Planning a night out's going to be more complicated when Scotrail cuts one in three train services from Monday in a pay dispute with the drivers union Aslef.
Nearly 700 services will cancelled because the recently-nationalised operator has been left short-staffed with drivers turning down extra shifts.
ScotRail announced the move on Wednesday and said the temporary timetable will provide greater certainty for passengers following a raft of service cancellations recently.
Service cuts could last for weeks
David Simpson, ScotRail service delivery director, said it is hoped the temporary timetable will only be in place in the short term, but that depends on talks with the union.
He 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."
Last train roulette?
Services on many of the key routes will stop at least 2 hours earlier than usual
- Glasgow – Edinburgh services will stop after 22.15
- Glasgow – Motherwell services will stop after 21.27
- Glasgow – Dundee services will stop after 19.10
- Glasgow – Stirling services will stop after 19.49
- Edinburgh – North Berwick services will stop after 19.40
- Aberdeen – Inverness services will stop after 18.05
- Glasgow – Mallaig services will stop after 12.22
- Service cuts are necessary says Scottish Government
Transport minister Jenny Gilruth was asked about the situation at Holyrood on Wednesday.
She said the temporary timetable was necessary because some drivers "did not take up the option of overtime and rest day working" following the decision by Aslef to ballot for industrial action over pay.
She told MSPs the revised timetable would give a "more stable and reliable service" to passengers.