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| Strike 'will not hit rugby fans' | Strike 'will not hit rugby fans' |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Rugby fans travelling to the Scotland v England match at Murrayfield should not be affected by the rail strike, train operator First ScotRail has said. | Rugby fans travelling to the Scotland v England match at Murrayfield should not be affected by the rail strike, train operator First ScotRail has said. |
| RMT members are striking over plans to run the new Edinburgh to Glasgow via Airdrie route without conductors. | |
| The union, which says the plans would jeopardise passenger safety, is holding a demonstration in Edinburgh in support of the 550 striking workers. | |
| ScotRail's managing director said: "It will be business as usual." | ScotRail's managing director said: "It will be business as usual." |
| ScotRail said it intended to run 100% of services across Central Scotland and ensure rugby fans get to and from the Calcutta Cup match at Murrayfield, for the 1700GMT kick off - with extra carriages provided. | |
| We will be pressing the minister... to make it clear to ScotRail that they must abide by existing agreements protecting rail safety and the crucial role of the guard Bob CrowRMT general secretary | We will be pressing the minister... to make it clear to ScotRail that they must abide by existing agreements protecting rail safety and the crucial role of the guard Bob CrowRMT general secretary |
| The industrial action is the third in a series of 24-hour strikes. | |
| Bob Crow, RMT general secretary, said: "Our members remain rock solid across Scotland in their continuing and determined action in defence of rail safety and the role of the guard. | Bob Crow, RMT general secretary, said: "Our members remain rock solid across Scotland in their continuing and determined action in defence of rail safety and the role of the guard. |
| "RMT is pleased that the continuing pressure from our members action, and our political and public campaigning, has enabled us to secure talks with Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson next Thursday. | "RMT is pleased that the continuing pressure from our members action, and our political and public campaigning, has enabled us to secure talks with Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson next Thursday. |
| "We will be pressing the minister, as the leading political figure responsible for the new Airdrie-Bathgate route, to make it clear to ScotRail that they must abide by existing agreements protecting rail safety and the crucial role of the guard." | "We will be pressing the minister, as the leading political figure responsible for the new Airdrie-Bathgate route, to make it clear to ScotRail that they must abide by existing agreements protecting rail safety and the crucial role of the guard." |
| Steve Montgomery, managing director of ScotRail, said: "Our contingency plans are such that we intend to run the vast majority of services." | Steve Montgomery, managing director of ScotRail, said: "Our contingency plans are such that we intend to run the vast majority of services." |
| Safety breaches | Safety breaches |
| The union has also issued warnings of potential safety breaches, citing two alleged incidents on previous strike days. | The union has also issued warnings of potential safety breaches, citing two alleged incidents on previous strike days. |
| At Glasgow Queen Street station, the union said the train doors on one service were activated on the track side rather than the platform side. | At Glasgow Queen Street station, the union said the train doors on one service were activated on the track side rather than the platform side. |
| It also claimed doors were activated when a train was short of the platform at Falkirk. | It also claimed doors were activated when a train was short of the platform at Falkirk. |
| A spokesman for ScotRail said: "We are not aware of any such incident at Falkirk. | A spokesman for ScotRail said: "We are not aware of any such incident at Falkirk. |
| "With regard to an incident at Glasgow Queen Street, it is true that a member of staff activated both sets of doors so that passengers could open them. But the member of staff immediately deactivated the doors. | "With regard to an incident at Glasgow Queen Street, it is true that a member of staff activated both sets of doors so that passengers could open them. But the member of staff immediately deactivated the doors. |
| "No doors were opened. Therefore, no-one was put at risk and safety was not compromised." | "No doors were opened. Therefore, no-one was put at risk and safety was not compromised." |
| The company has said the new £300m Glasgow to Edinburgh line, via Airdrie and Bathgate, would create 130 new jobs. |