East Midlands Railway (EMR) has warned of disruption to its services over the bank holiday weekend, specifically on Sunday 30 and Monday 31 August. This is due to a strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) in a dispute over safety concerns.
The company stated it will operate a "significantly reduced" timetable for services to and from London on both days. Passengers are advised to travel only if their journey is essential and to check before setting out.
Further disruption is expected on Sunday 30 August, as there will be no LNER trains between London King's Cross and Peterborough due to digital signalling upgrades by Network Rail. This is anticipated to make EMR services to and from London St Pancras extremely busy, with increased demand coinciding with reduced services.
Sheffield and Nottingham stations are also expected to be very busy, with queues to board services likely. The RMT has raised concerns regarding safety issues on some trains, including faults with air conditioning, doors, and toilets on Class 810 trains.
EMR's customer experience director, Philippa Cresswell, apologised for the disruption and confirmed the company is having "constructive discussions" with the RMT to resolve the issues.