More than a quarter of train journeys across Scotland have been cut as Scotrail brings in a temporary timetable due to staff shortages amid a pay dispute.
ScotRail said the new timetable, in force today, will provide “certainty and reliability” compared with recent late-notice cancellations.
Dozens of trains have been cancelled in recent days due to lack of staff.
The temporary timetable involves 1,660 services operating daily from Monday to Saturday, compared with the usual level of around 2,250, a cut of 26%.
The operator said first and last trains on more than half of all routes would remain the same but services during peak times will revert to an off-peak service.
This means just –12 trains an hour on most routes. Scotrail has urged passengers to check its online table for exact times.
In a statement, ScotRail said: “This is a result of the ongoing impact of fewer train drivers than normal currently being available for overtime or rest day working, as is their contractual right, following confirmation from drivers’ union Aslef that it will recommend to its executive committee a ballot for industrial action over pay.”
The rail operator said it is recruiting 160 new drivers but “some rest day working and overtime is still needed to deliver a normal timetable”, adding this has “historically been the case in the railway and is replicated in other train operators across Britain”.
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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.”
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