Key facts
- Intercity rail services in Great Britain face potential disruption this summer.
- East Midlands Railway (EMR) is cancelling hundreds of services due to issues with its new Hitachi trains.
- Train drivers on LNER and Avanti West Coast are voting on strike action over pay disputes.
- EMR's new Class 810 fleet has experienced performance and reliability problems.
- The Department for Transport has reportedly refused to sign off on a pay deal for LNER drivers.
Intercity rail passengers in Great Britain are bracing for significant disruption this summer, with services on the three major north-south mainlines facing a dual threat of slashed timetables and potential strike action.
East Midlands Railway (EMR) has announced it will cancel hundreds of services on the Midland mainline due to ongoing issues with its new fleet of Hitachi trains, the Class 810 Auroras. The operator cited performance and reliability problems with the new bi-mode trains, which were introduced this year after a three-year delay. EMR also criticized Hitachi's maintenance of the older Class 222 trains that the Auroras were meant to replace, stating it impacted their ability to run a consistent service.
Will Rogers, EMR's managing director, apologized for the disruption and stated that a temporary reduced timetable is necessary while working with Hitachi Rail to improve service consistency. The new Aurora trains have also been involved in a recent fatal crash investigation, where one train stopped on the mainline, possibly due to a fault with its automatic warning system, before being struck by another train.
Meanwhile, train drivers on two other key intercity routes could face strike action by late August. The drivers' union Aslef has called a strike ballot on London North Eastern Railway (LNER), which operates services between London and Scotland, following a breakdown in pay negotiations. Aslef's general secretary, Dave Calfe, described the company's failure to make a suitable offer as unacceptable. The union also stated that the Department for Transport had refused to approve a pay deal that had been agreed with the state-owned LNER.
Additionally, drivers at Avanti West Coast are already voting on whether to strike over pay. Aslef has not renewed a rest day working agreement with Avanti, which has contributed to some service cancellations.