New Trains Spark Safety Strike

Fresh strike dates have been announced by union members working at East Midlands Railway (EMR) concerning "safety concerns" regarding a new fleet of trains. The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has been in dispute with EMR since April after the introduction of the Aurora (Class 810 fleet), which it claims has been operating with a "significant number" of faults. Union members are set to strike for 48 hours from 30 August, and for 24 hours on 16 September, following three previous strikes in August. These actions stem from reported issues such as faulty toilets, broken air conditioning, communication problems, and door malfunctions. Notably, the union cited instances where 16 trains in service required "a full auxiliary reset, leaving trains with no active safety systems." RMT is demanding that these trains be taken out of service until their proper operation is confirmed. EMR previously stated that "no safety-critical faults have been identified that prevent the trains from meeting regulatory requirements for passenger service." The company added it has met union representatives multiple times for constructive discussions and is working with Hitachi Rail to address the concerns.