Fresh strike action from rail workers will see five days of disruption across Scotland in the lead-up to Christmas.

ScotRail bosses are warning customers to check their journeys as RMT members of Network Rail walk out amid rows over pay.

'Major impact' on services

The dispute, which does not involve ScotRail workers, will still have a ‘major impact’ on Scotland’s train routes.

Strike action is set to take place on Tuesday, December 13, Wednesday, December 14, Friday, December 16, and Saturday, December 17.

A limited number of services will be running on a reduced number of routes for ScotRail customers on those days.

Customers will still face disruption on the non-strike day, Thursday, December 15, due to the complexity of restarting the full service between strike days.

The train operator will run services on 12 routes across the central belt, Fife, and the Borders between 7.30am and 6.30pm.

Affected ScotRail routes and frequency of services:

• Glasgow Central to Hamilton/Larkhall: Two trains per hour.   

• Glasgow Central to Lanark: Two trains per hour.  

• Glasgow Queen Street to Larbert: One train per hour. 

• Glasgow Queen Street to Falkirk Grahamston: One train per hour. 

• Milngavie to Springburn: Two trains per hour.

• Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Central via Shotts: One train per hour. 

• Edinburgh Waverley to Cowdenbeath: Two trains per hour. 

• Edinburgh Waverley to Tweedbank: Two trains per hour. 

• Edinburgh Waverley to North Berwick: One train per hour. 

• Edinburgh Waverley to Larbert: One train per hour.

• Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk High: Two trains per hour.   

• Edinburgh Waverley to Helensburgh Central: Two trains per hour. 

Customers are urged to check final services

The train operator is warning customers to plan ahead and ensure they know when their last train is as final services will depart ‘well before’ 6.30pm.

Network Rail is unable to facilitate passenger services on any other routes during the strike days due to a greater reliance on manual signalling outside the Central Belt.

The only train services on strike days will be the 12 ScotRail routes across the central belt, Fife, and Borders.

Commuters are being warned to consider alternative routes if possible and only travel via train if they really need to.

Customers that have already purchased a ticket for the strike days can claim compensation or seek a fee-free refund.

A vote is set to take place on Monday, December 12, with Network Rail RMT members deciding on the latest pay offer, however it would take ‘at least 48 hours’ for the rail industry to restore a normal service.

Further plans for strike action have been announced by RMT for December 24-27 and January 3-4 and 6-7.

'We know this will be frustrating for customers'

David Simpson, ScotRail service delivery director, said: “It’s really disappointing to see more widespread disruption across the whole Great Britain rail network as a result of the dispute between Network Rail and the RMT at a time when we need to be encouraging more people back to the railway.

“For ScotRail, it’s going to mean that we won’t be able to operate the vast majority of our services between December 13 and 17, which we know will be really frustrating for our customers.   

 “We’re advising customers to seek alternative means of transport and to only travel if they really need to on the days of strike action.

“Customers should check their journey in advance to make sure your train is running.”

Liam Sumpter, route director for Network Rail Scotland, said: “We understand the impact this strike action will have, and we are working hard to keep as many passengers as possible moving during the next phase of RMT industrial action.

“We remain committed to working with the RMT to find a solution to this dispute and avert disruption at this important time of the year, but we also need to find a pay deal that is fair on the taxpayers who fund our railway.

“Please check your journey in advance next week as those services that are operating will finish much earlier in the evening.”

More information can be found here.