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Rail strike is cancelled but misery to continue

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Published Date: 09 October 2008
By ANDREW PICKEN
RAIL passengers escaped a second day of strike misery today when a 24-hour walk-out was cancelled after nine hours of talks at conciliation service Acas.
But travellers, who saw trains cancelled during a one-day stoppage by signallers on Tuesday, face more disruption next week when the Bathgate-Edinburgh line closes as part of a £300 million project to upgrade the line.

Today's strike, which was due to begin at noon, was suspended late last night after "progress" in the talks between Network Rail and rail union RMT over rota changes.

The Bathgate-Edinburgh rail link will close for ten days from Saturday, while seven days of works on the main Glasgow to Edinburgh line will see journey times extended by 20 minutes and service frequency drop to half-hourly.

Buses will replace trains between Edinburgh and Bathgate and extra services will be provided to and from Glasgow at peak times. But rail bosses warned commuters to prepare for the disruption.

The closures are part of the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link Project, which will involve double tracking and signalling works on the line.

Passenger groups said commuters will be more accepting of this disruption than the strikes.

Robert Samson, the Scotland manager for Passenger Focus, the official rail watchdog, said: "This week has been one of annoyance and frustration for passengers because of the strike and they will be facing this again next week. However, I do think, although people are being inconvenienced, at least next week they can see that the work is to deliver better services."

The Edinburgh-Glasgow line is being affected by work on the Newbridge junction and restrictions will be in place between Saturday and next Friday.

Journey times are being extended because trains will be diverted via Dalmeny, but ScotRail is planning a strengthened service between Edinburgh and Glasgow Central to try to compensate.

Passengers travelling between Stirling and Edinburgh will change trains at Linlithgow and also join bus services.

David Simpson, Network Rail route director Scotland, said: "The Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link Project will create a vital new link between Edinburgh, Glasgow and the communities served by this new railway.

"To enable the work to take effect, Network Rail has to integrate the newly double-tracked Bathgate line with other parts of the rail network.

"In this case, that will require new track and signalling at Newbridge junction, a section of line also used by the Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh to Dunblane services.

"This will require temporary timetable changes and replacement bus services to operate."

The revamped Airdrie-Bathgate line is scheduled to open in 2010 and will carry four services an hour between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Steve Montgomery, operations and safety director at First ScotRail, said: "We have done everything possible to keep inconvenience to an absolute minimum by running as many services as possible.

"Journeys will take longer than normal and passengers should allow more time for travel."


Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 09 October 2008 4:47 PM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

,

09/10/2008 11:54:52
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
2

mystic,

Edinburgh 09/10/2008 12:02:38
Unions are exactly why labour costs are so expensive in this country. I agree, sack them all. People in this country are already too lazy as it is.

www.SeeingEdinburgh.co.uk


3

Skip McClendon,

09/10/2008 12:06:28
Sacking striking workers seems just a tad on the extreme side to me.

But I do agree that this strike was nonsense. It was essentially over nothing. Workers should only strike when it is a last resort. With the militant RMT, all too often, it is a case of striking being their first, second, and third option.
4

Randan,

09/10/2008 12:13:51
#1 Yeah Union scum. That's an intelligent statement.
Proving you are a moron with every new comment allknowing!
5

David Harrington,

Edinburgh 09/10/2008 12:29:44
There is no "but" to this story - the Bathgate works have been known about for ages. Can the EEN not come up with some real news or are journalists told they can't write a story unless there's something bad in it to make people feel outraged?
6

Bob 2,

09/10/2008 13:20:29
Yip Non Story on the Bathgate


given that the line is being IMPROVED

double track and extended

so presumably, they should see a better service.

Yip its only the news than make a bad story out of a good story!!
7

Bob 2,

09/10/2008 13:21:47
maybe if some of the commentors check out why they were on strike instead of shooting off with utter gibber.
8

Black Five,

edinburgh 09/10/2008 14:15:35
This lot should be thankful they are in a good job with good pay and good pensions.Some people don`t realise they are well off.I`d sack the lot and give their jobs to people who would appreciate the things they seem to take for granted.
9

Grumpy Chops,

09/10/2008 14:20:22
#8 ????
10

Andrew,

09/10/2008 14:44:30
re Bathgate line closure! A well-planned and well- publicised refurbishment as part of the Ardrie-Bathgate reopening and subsequent ELECTRIFICATION throughout! 'Sparks can fly' in more ways than one!
The "Sparks Effect" is a commonly used idiom for the benefits accruing from rail electrification schemes!
11

Randan,

09/10/2008 15:21:49
#9 'This lot should be thankful they are in a good job with good pay and good pensions.Some people don`t realise they are well off.I`d sack the lot and give their jobs to people who would appreciate the things they seem to take for granted.'

I refer you to #8
'maybe if some of the commentors check out why they were on strike instead of shooting off with utter gibber. '
12

Speedy Gonzales,

Edinburgh 09/10/2008 16:12:58
I heard a piece about this strike on the news at the weekend and made a couple of enquiries. Does anyone else out there know of an industry that can roster an individual a 'rest day', then 3 days before this demand that they turn up at their post for 'cover' purposes?
I'm lucky, I suppose, that I work mon-fri and can plan accordingly but I'm suprised that in this day and age, some employees are told on one hand 'you're rostered off tuesday next week', then told at the weekend 'erm, we need you to come in and cover panel 1'?
Anyone else know if this is standard practice in other industries?
13

KampungHighlander,

Jakarta 09/10/2008 22:04:41
#13 Speedy

I know for a fact people who used to be working as contractors at IBM Greenock had this happen all the time. And all at 6 pounds an hour, how much do these signalers get paid?

Most people in the Transport sector realize that their job has specific requirements that include working on public holidays, working various shifts and being called up on short notice to cover for absent colleagues.

If that is too much of a hardship they should consider changing careers rather than inconveniencing everyone with their petty squabbles.

 

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