ScotRail drivers offered improved pay rise deal in move to end timetable chaos

Train drivers will consider an improved pay deal from Scotland’s national rail operator following the latest round of talks to end chaos on the network.

Aslef says members have been offered a 4.2% wage increase in a bid to bridge the gap over a long-running dispute with ScotRail.

Almost 700 journeys have been scrapped during an impasse over an initial 2.2% pay rise offer branded “derisory” by the union.

A three-year moratorium on compulsary redundancies has also been included in the package tabled by the newly-nationalised firm.

‘Informal’ talks between the two parties resumed on Tuesday before the two sides officially got back round the negotiating table on Thursday.

Drivers are currently refusing to work overtime or on rest days – leading to a third of daily services being slashed.

Aslef’s Scottish organiser, Kevin Lindsay, said: “Aslef entered these talks in good faith. We have negotiated a pay offer of 4.2%, a three year no compulsory redundancy deal and a number of other improvements.

“These will now be put to our members for their consideration.”

It comes days after members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at Network Rail and 15 train operators including LNER, Transpennine Express and Avanti West Coast backed launching a campaign of industrial action.

A signaller walkout could reduce services to around a fifth of the normal weekday timetable if a strike goes ahead over claims Network Rail intends to cut at least 2,500 maintenance jobs as part of a £2bn reduction in spending.