STRIKE THAT’S COST £150M
Dispute over ‘driver-only’ trains causes crippling economic loss
A WAVE of strikes on Scotland’s rail network has cost the economy an estimated £150million.
ScotRail passengers are facing more disruption tomorrow in a long-running dispute over ‘driver-only’ trains’.
Commuters are on track for five more days of disruption next month in addition to ten days of action previously endured over June and July.
It has been estimated during previous rail strikes that the cost to the economy of mass walkouts is £15million a day, suggesting that the ten days of industrial unrest so far have cost the economy about £150million.
Mick Cash, general secretary of the national Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), has claimed ScotRail’s plan for more trains without guards is a ‘very real threat to passengers’.
The union opposes the move as it involves drivers operating train doors, with the second member of staff acting as a conductor rather than guard.
Last night, a spokesman for the Confederation of British Industry in Scotland said: ‘Businesses will want disruption from this strike action minimised to avoid damage to the economy. Industrial action should always be the last resort.’
Scottish Tory transport spokesman Alex Johnstone said: ‘This strike action is causing major headaches for Scotland’s commuters and is unacceptable.’
In addition to tomorrow’s action, a 48-hour strike starting on Sunday, August 7, will be followed by 24 hours of disruption a few days later on Thursday, August 11.
There will be only one day of normal service before the disruption resumes on Saturday, August 13, with 48 hours of strikes lasting the entire weekend.
Mr Cash will be in Scotland today to visit union colleagues and it is understood ScotRail bosses have drawn up a deal they hope to put to him in an attempt to avert further strikes.
Ministers convened the Scottish Government’s resilience committee earlier this week ahead of tomorrow’s planned action.
But earlier this month it emerged that despite the escalating dispute, Transport Minister Humza Yousaf had taken a break for his summer holiday.
ScotRail says 59 per cent of customers already travel on a train where the doors are safely opened and closed by the driver and insists that the job, pay and conditions of conductors are guaranteed.
A Transport Scotland spokesman said it was too early to estimate the economic repercussions of the strikes.
He added: ‘We are extremely disappointed that the RMT have announced this new wave of rail strikes. Scotland’s passengers deserve a rail service they can rely on and everyone wants to see an end to this industrial action.
‘Safety on our railways is paramount. We received assurances from the independent rail regulator that driver-controlled operation is a safe method of operating our railways, so we believe dialogue is the best way to achieve an operational solution that works for all parties.
‘The public should not be suffering as a result of this industrial unrest. The Scottish Government will continue to monitor our transport networks over the strike periods and take appropriate action to ensure that proper planning and contingency measures can be put in place to minimise any disruption.’
A ScotRail spokesman said: ‘These needless strikes are really hurting our people financially.
‘We have guaranteed the jobs, pay and terms and conditions for our conductors and we have said that we will always schedule a second member of staff on board to look after our customers.
‘Fifty-nine per cent of people who travel by train in Scotland do so on a service where the driver opens and closes the doors, while a second member of staff is there for safety and customer service duties. This has been the case for decades. The people who regulate safety on our railway – and we have the safest rail service in Europe – have said that this is a safe way of working.’
‘Stoppage totally unnecessary’