- RMT union has announced a 48-hour strike for 30-31 August and a 24-hour strike for 16 September
- Workers are refusing to work on new Class 810 Aurora trains
- The union claims technical faults include faulty toilets, air conditioning, and door failures
- Some trains have required full resets leaving no active safety systems
- EMR states no safety-critical faults exist and talks with the union are ongoing
East Midlands Railway passengers have faced disruption after the RMT Union announced 48-hour strikes over safety concerns with the operator’s new Aurora trains, with the action scheduled over the August bank holiday weekend from 30 to 31 August and a further 24-hour strike planned for 16 September. Union members are also continuing a work-to-rule policy, refusing to work on East Midlands Railway’s new fleet of Class 810 Aurora trains, which has caused short-notice changes and cancellations. The dispute centres on safety concerns with the new fleet, which entered service in late 2025.
The RMT union has claimed that the trains have been running with a high number of technical faults, including faulty toilets, broken air conditioning, and door failures, and that some trains have required full technical resets that temporarily leave them with no active safety systems or crew communications. East Midlands Railway has strongly pushed back against safety complaints, stating that no safety-critical faults exist that breach regulatory requirements and that the company is working directly with the manufacturer, Hitachi Rail, to fix non-safety challenges including air conditioning and catering equipment. East Midlands Railway has confirmed that ongoing talks with the RMT union are taking place to resolve the issue.
Intercity and Connect routes, including trains running between London St Pancras, Luton Airport, and the East Midlands, will face a significantly reduced timetable on strike days. East Midlands Railway Regional services are not expected to be affected by these specific strike dates. The strikes come during the busy bank holiday travel period, potentially affecting thousands of passengers making leisure journeys across the region.
Mick Lynch, Limerick born General Secretary of the RMT union, shared: “Our members are not prepared to work on trains that they believe present safety risks, and we call on East Midlands Railway to address these concerns immediately before the situation escalates further.”
