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Strike 'will not hit rugby fans' Union hails 'solid' rail strike
(about 5 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. Leaders of the RMT union have claimed there is "rock solid" support for a 24-hour walkout by rail workers.
RMT members are striking over plans to run the new Edinburgh to Glasgow via Airdrie route without conductors. About 560 members of the RMT are taking part in a strike 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. It is the third strike this year over the plans, which the RMT claims would jeopardise passenger safety.
ScotRail's managing director said: "It will be business as usual." First ScotRail said it was "business as usual" and rugby fans going to watch Scotland v England would be unaffected.
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. The Calcutta Cup match kicks off at Murrayfield at 1700 GMT, and ScotRail said extra carriages had been provided for supporters on the Glasgow to Edinburgh route.
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 It also claimed it was running even more trains than on the previous two strikes - with 100% of services on key routes and at least 95% of trains overall.
The industrial action is the third in a series of 24-hour strikes. It says it all that the company have resorted to running ghost trains this morning to pump up their numbers Bob CrowGeneral secretary of the RMT
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. However, the RMT said the train operator was facing "major disruption" as a result of the action, and accused the firm of running "ghost trains" - services with no passengers on board - to distort their figures.
"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. The union held a rally at Edinburgh's Waverley Station as part of its action, and assistant general secretary Pat Sikorski said about 100 people from the capital and Stirling attended the event.
"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." Bob Crow, RMT general secretary, said: "Our members are rock solid across Scotland in their third day of strike action in defence of rail safety and the 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." "It says it all that the company have resorted to running ghost trains this morning to pump up their numbers.
Safety breaches "We will be meeting with the transport minister next week and hope to be able to make progress on maintaining the safety-critical role of the guard."
The union has also issued warnings of potential safety breaches, citing two alleged incidents on previous strike days. However, a ScotRail spokesman described the union's claims about ghost trains as "a lie".
ScotRail's boss said passengers would not notice that a strike was under way
"Full details of the services we are running are available on our website for all to see," he added.
The RMT 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. But the ScotRail spokesman 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. The company's managing director, Steve Montgomery, said: "Our contingency plans are such that almost all our customers will not notice there is a strike."