Union plans rail strikes over train safety concerns
Summary
A union representing railway workers plans to strike against East Midlands Railway (EMR) over safety concerns with its new trains. EMR and the train maker Hitachi Rail say the trains meet safety standards but admit there are some performance and maintenance issues.Key Facts
- The RMT union is planning strikes on three Saturdays starting August 1.
- The dispute began in April after new Hitachi Rail Class 810 trains (called Aurora) were introduced.
- The union says the trains have faults that may cause safety systems to fail temporarily.
- EMR denies that the trains fail safety standards but acknowledges reliability and maintenance problems.
- Problems reported include broken toilets, air conditioning issues, and catering equipment failures.
- The new trains started service in December 2025 after a three-year delay.
- EMR is working with Hitachi Rail to fix the issues and will continue gradually introducing the new trains.
- Hitachi Rail is supporting the train rollout with extra testing and improvements at a rail innovation center.
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