SCOTRAIL has introduced a temporary timetable for rail services in the Borders due to a reduced number of drivers being available for overtime.

The train operator has announced the new timetable, which will affect services between Tweedbank and Edinburgh, will be in place from tomorrow (Wednesday, July 10) due to an ongoing pay dispute with unions representing train drivers.

This announcement comes as ScotRail members of ASLEF (the train drivers' union) consider a strike over pay.

In the Borders, there will be some changes to the services available between Tweedbank and Edinburgh.

For the duration of the new, temporary timetable, the first train will depart from Edinburgh at 6.10am, with the first service leaving Tweedbank at 6.50am.

The last train to leave Tweedbank for the city will be at 10.19pm and the last train to leave Edinburgh will be the 11.43pm service.

Other changes in the temporary timetable include:

  • Morning peak service of two trains per hour
  • Core daytime service of one train per hour
  • Evening peak service of two trains per hour
  • Evening service of one train every two hours

Mark Ilderton, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said: “We are very sorry to customers for the disruption to services. We know that customers want certainty and reliability, which is why we are introducing a temporary timetable, in place of late-notice cancellations.

“We are operating services which the vast majority of customers use and are still using all the available trains in our fleet so customers can continue to travel.

“We want to resolve the pay dispute with the trade unions and remain fully committed to further discussions.

“We’re asking customers to check their journey on our website or mobile app, as train times will have changed.”

In recent weeks ScotRail has been in talks with unions such as ASLEF, RMT, TSSA and Unite.

The rail operator said it had offered a pay deal to the unions in line with the Scottish Government’s public sector pay policy on Friday, July 5, but that the offer was rejected by all four trade unions.

Speaking to the PA (Press Association), Kevin Lindsay, Aslef Scottish organiser, said: “Rather than slashing the timetable in an act of economic vandalism that will impact towns and cities across Scotland as well as Scotland’s rail passengers, ScotRail and the Scottish Government must get serious about pay and urgently get back round the negotiating table with a serious and credible offer.

“The Scottish Government is currently taking a fantasy land approach to industrial relations on our railways.

“We met the First Minister John Swinney on May 28 and told him then that the offer being made to our members was completely unacceptable and sadly, ScotRail have parroted this same offer ever since.

“The Scottish Government and ScotRail need to understand quickly that investment in our railways includes investing in its most precious resource, its workers.

“We urge them to come back to us with an offer that is serious and that treats our members with the fairness and respect they deserve.”

Anyone with tickets on services which are no longer available with the temporary timetable are able to apply for refunds with no additional admin fees. Alternatively tickets for unavailable services can be used on another ScotRail service.

For more information on the temporary timetable in place in the Borders and across the ScotRail network, visit the ScotRail website.