When ScotRail timetables will return to normal after pay dispute resolved as 600 more trains added

A quarter of train services had been suspended as a result of the dispute

ScotRail has announced the date its timetable will be restored to normal, following the resolution of a three-month pay dispute.

The train operator said it would reinstate its full timetable from Monday - a week after a disagreement over drivers’ pay was resolved.

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With a pay deal agreed, ScotRail is to restore the full service that was in operation before the temporary timetable was introduced on July 10. It is believed some 600 daily services - or about a quarter - were suspended due to the dispute.

The service has relied on extra work, including overtime and working on rest days, from its staff due to a shortage of drivers.

The operator said it is recruiting 160 new drivers every year to reduce its reliance on overtime working – the biggest driver recruitment in Britain. Since ScotRail entered public ownership in April 2022, more than 250 drivers have been recruited.

PA

Mark Ilderton, ScotRail service delivery director, said: "We are delighted to confirm that our full timetable will return on Monday. We have been working round the clock to deliver this in a very short space of time because we know how important a full service is to our customers.

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"It’s been a difficult few months for our customers and staff, and we thank everybody for their patience.

"With a pay deal agreed and the full timetable back in place, everyone at ScotRail is focused on delivering a safe, reliable, and green service for our customers."

Last week, the dispute came to an end after train drivers’ union Aslef said its members in Scotland have resoundingly voted to accept the recent pay deal put to them by ScotRail. The biggest union, RMT, also voted to accept the deal, as did Unite and TSSA.

The temporary timetable saw 1,660 services operating daily from Monday to Saturday, compared with the usual level of around 2,250 – a cut of 26 per cent.

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The latest change comes as ScotRail reinstated its peak fares on key routes on Monday, angering passengers. The Scottish Government previously said the scheme had “limited success” and it could not justify continuing the peak fare suspension given financial pressures.

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