The following is issued by ScotRail in response to the RMT advising in writing today that a ballot was in favour of strike action over plans to introduce driver door operated trains with ticket examiners on the Glasgow to Edinburgh via Airdrie and Bathgate route which is due to open in December. No dates of possible strike action were provided, with the union advising it will write again shortly.

A ScotRail spokesman said: “It is deeply disappointing, with strike action unjustified especially at a time when a number of businesses across the UK are announcing posts are being axed or threatened.”

He added: “The services will be no different from those which have run in Scotland for more than 25 years – and will create 130 new jobs and offer major benefits to passengers.

“No one is losing their job and current terms and conditions are guaranteed. But the scheduled reopening of the £300m link is now at risk by a union campaign which boils down to who opens and shuts doors on trains.”

ScotRail stressed that it plans to run the vast majority of services during the strikes.

For example, it aims to run 100% of services between Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street; between Edinburgh/Glasgow and Aberdeen; Edinburgh/Glasgow and Inverness, and Aberdeen-Inverness.

ScotRail also anticipates that all services in Strathclyde will operate, with the exception of Motherwell-Cumbernauld.

There will be high service levels on many other routes – including the Fife Circle.

There will be replacement buses on any rural route where trains cannot be provided.

Background information

More than 200 ScotRail staff are being trained and a number of staff from several other FirstGroup Tocs will be drafted in during the dispute.

• Driver door operated trains with ticket examiners on board have operated in Scotland for more than 25 years. Indeed, the majority of passenger journeys – some 56%, more than 47m a year – are on these trains.

• The Airdrie-Bathgate line will create about 130 jobs – including more than 30 drivers and more than 30 on train staff.

• If the Airdrie-Bathgate trains were to be operated by conductors, £1.4 million would have to be spent converting the trains for conductor operation.

• The trains would have to be withdrawn for a significant period of time to carry out the conversion. That withdrawal could see a reduction of existing services – and delay the opening of the new route.

• Appropriate safeguards will be put in place with regard to the new services. In particular, there will be methods to ensure the driver can safely open and close the doors – and there will be a secure radio system to ensure the signaller and driver can always reliably contact each other, without the driver leaving the train.

• Conductor numbers continue to increase. In December 21 new conductor posts were created – thanks to the twice an hour services to Kilmarnock and the new Edinburgh via Shotts services.

• The RMT conductors have been advised ScotRail is confident it will recover all its costs of a strike as the company will demonstrate all reasonable steps to avoid a strike have been taken. Conductors will lose an average £112 a day plus commission on ticket sales.

• The trains will include a second member of staff on board (a ticket examiner) whose main responsibility is customer care.

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