Virgin East Coast seeks to reassure travellers

Thousands of Edinburgh Fringe-goers could have their journey to and from the festival disrupted after the RMT announced a series of strikes on Virgin East Coast – including on the last day of the festival.

However, the rail operator is reassuring customers that it will run a full timetable, despite the union calling three 24-hour stoppages on the route between the Edinburgh and London on Friday 19 August, Friday 26 August and Monday 29 August.

In addition there is an overtime ban on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 August.

Virgin East Coast said: 'The strikes take into account the August bank holiday weekend, with the union seeking to inconvenience as many families taking well-earned breaks as possible. Our detailed contingency plans however mean the timetable will run as normal.'

The RMT called the strikes following the breakdown of talks.

The union says the operator wants to impose 'a package of cash-led measure that would decimate jobs, working conditions and threaten the safety regime that currently ensures a guard on every train'. It claims nearly 200 jobs are threatened by the cuts.

The RMT also accused Virgin East Coast of recruiting 'a ramshackle and under-trained scab army of managers from East Midlands Trains' to run its service, as part of 'a strike breaking plan that the travelling public have no knowledge of.'

Virgin is introducing changes 'which will see a single person take responsibility for the customer experience on our trains and insist: 'This will have no impact on safety, and will result in a better experience for customers.'

Managing director David Horne said: 'We have worked hard to ensure there are comprehensive contingency plans in place and I want to reassure our customers that our timetable will be unaffected during these walk-outs, as well as during any subsequent strikes by the RMT.'

Published: 12 Aug 2016