JUST one day after the third ScotRail strike by RMT members in a train crew dispute, ScotRail has warned that at least one further strike seems likely over the Easter holidays in three weeks' time. But the operator predicted that it would be ‘business as usual’ in any event.

The RMT is opposing plans to use ticket examiners rather than conductor/guards when the £300 million Aidrie--Bathgate line is opened in December.

ASLEF has agreed to the proposal, but the RMT is claiming that safety will be put at risk. ScotRail has denied this, and said that adapting the Class 334 units intended for the route to allow a conductor to operate the doors would cost £1.4 million. It also pointed out that the driver already controls the doors on more than 50% of ScotRail services.

There have now been three strikes, but ScotRail maintained that most passengers ‘would have not have noticed’. Trains ran on nearly all lines on Saturday, although buses did replace trains in the Far North, the Western Highlands and between Kilmarnock and Stranraer.

With talks on the crewing issue still stalled, ScotRail has warned of possible further industrial action over the Easter holidays, although it said it remained willing to resume the negotiations at any time.

ScotRail managing director Steve Montgomery said the RMT had failed to disrupt most rail services, including trains to Murrayfield for Saturday's 6 Nations rugby match, and if it targeted the Easter school holidays ‘that would be even more cynical’.

He added that the RMT would show “a blatant disregard for families if it deliberately targets the holidays. Such an action will make us even more determined than ever to keep Scotland’s railway running. We will again make every effort to ensure that the travelling public – and the many families who love to use the train for Easter days out – will get as robust a service as possible.”

Meamwhile, the RMT has written to all passenger operators seeking assurances that there will be no extension of driver only operation and guarantees that conductor/guards will remain in control of doors. The union said the agreement it was seeking was ‘simply a restatement by the train operating companies of previous collective agreements on the safety-critical role of the Guard dating back to 2001’.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: “We are simply demanding that the safety critical role of guards is not diluted or undermined as part of the drive to pump up profits. We have already seen efforts by Southeastern and Scotrail to bulldoze through driver only operation and the axeing of the guard.”

The union has given the operators until 20 April to respond.

A nationwide strike by Network Rail maintenance staff is also expected over Easter, in an separate dispute over the loss of 1,500 jobs.