ScotRail is reducing the number of trains it runs each day because it says not enough drivers are volunteering to work overtime or on rest days.

The Scottish Government’s operator had already cut Sunday services and closed four stations on that day, but it now says reductions will be introduced on all routes from tomorrow (Wednesday), although the times of first and last trains will be unchanged.

ScotRail is also facing the possibility of a new round of strikes or overtime bans, after the drivers’ union ASLEF warned that it is asking its Executive Committee to approve a ballot for industrial action over pay.

ScotRail says it has been in discussions over pay with ASLEF, RMT, TSSA, and Unite, and a  formal pay offer ‘in line with the Scottish Government’s public sector pay policy’ was made on 5 July. However, this was rejected by the unions.

The operator said it is recruiting 160 drivers a year, but some rest day working and overtime is still needed to run a full timetable, which is often the case with other operators as well.

ScotRail service delivery director Mark Ilderton said: ’We are very sorry to customers for the disruption to services. We know that customers want certainty and reliability, which is why we are introducing a temporary timetable, in place of late-notice cancellations.

‘We are operating services which the vast majority of customers use and are still using all the available trains in our fleet so customers can continue to travel.

‘We want to resolve the pay dispute with the trade unions and remain fully committed to further discussions.’