East Midlands Railway Faces Three Saturdays of Strike Action Over Safety Concerns with New Aurora Trains

East Midlands Railway will operate a significantly reduced timetable on three consecutive Saturdays after the RMT union announced strike action over safety concerns with the new Class 810 Aurora fleet. The dispute centers on faults in the train's design that have prompted safety system failures. The operator has advised customers to travel only if essential on 1, 8, and 15 August, with additional disruption expected during mid-week action short of strike periods.

The Dispute and Safety Concerns

The RMT union has been in dispute with East Midlands Railway since April, when the operator introduced the Class 810 Aurora fleet. According to the union, the trains have been operating with a significant number of faults that require temporary shutdowns of safety systems to resolve. The RMT highlighted a critical issue: when trains require an "Aux Off / Aux On reset" to recover from certain faults, the process takes approximately 20 minutes and results in the temporary loss of several safety-critical systems. During this window, the increased risk of uncontrolled evacuation and the removal of the driver's normal means of communication with the signaller creates dangerous conditions.

The union has characterised the situation as one where East Midlands Railway has been sending trains into service that are "likely to fail and require a full reset which leaves the train with no active safety systems." Eddie Dempsey, RMT general secretary, stated that union representatives have been "extremely patient" in attempting to engage with management over these concerns. The company has also issued safety notices without involving union representatives, despite their representatives being those most directly at risk.

Planned Service Disruption

On the three strike dates—1, 8, and 15 August—East Midlands Railway will operate only between 07:00 and 19:00, a significantly reduced schedule. The operator will run one train per hour on key intercity routes: Nottingham to London St Pancras, Sheffield to London St Pancras, and Corby to London St Pancras. Regional services will continue to operate normally, but no rail replacement buses will be available to affected passengers.

Beyond the Saturday strikes, the RMT has notified the operator that members will take action short of strike (ASOS) from 2 to 7 August, 9 to 14 August, and from 16 August until further notice. During these periods, trains may face short notice alterations and cancellations. East Midlands Railway has advised all customers to check their journeys before travelling.

Company Response and Ongoing Negotiations

East Midlands Railway contests the safety characterisation, stating that the Class 810 fleet "entered passenger service only after successfully completing all required testing and meeting the rigorous safety standards required by the independent regulator." Philippa Cresswell, the operator's Customer Experience Director, expressed regret over the disruption and confirmed that the company continues to engage in "constructive discussions" with the RMT in hopes of resolving the dispute quickly. The company has not disclosed specific timelines or proposed solutions to the identified faults.