The RMT union has announced plans for strike action by its members employed at East Midlands Railway, citing unresolved safety concerns related to the operator’s new Aurora train fleet. The union stated that the dispute with EMR began in April following the deployment of the Class 810 Aurora trains, which it claims have been operating with numerous faults. Strike action is planned for August 1 and the following two Saturdays.
According to RMT representatives, EMR has been placing trains into service that are prone to failures requiring a full reset procedure, which temporarily disables multiple safety-critical systems. The union referenced an operational briefing document indicating that the reset process takes approximately 20 minutes and results in the loss of several essential safety features, potentially increasing evacuation risks and disrupting driver communication with signallers. The RMT’s general secretary stated that union representatives had attempted to engage constructively with management and accused the company of issuing safety notices without consulting staff representatives.
East Midlands Railway disputed the union’s characterization of the Class 810 fleet’s safety status, stating that the trains completed all required testing and met rigorous safety standards before entering passenger service in December. The operator acknowledged performance and reliability issues have emerged during regular operation and indicated it is collaborating with manufacturer Hitachi Rail to address these problems. EMR said the rollout of the new fleet would proceed in a controlled manner throughout the remainder of the year and into 2027.
Hitachi Rail confirmed that more than one-third of the Class 810 fleet has been delivered since entering passenger service. The manufacturer stated it continues working with industry partners during the entry-into-service phase and is implementing improvements to support the transition. Hitachi Rail indicated it is investing in additional testing activity at its Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre to enhance the fleet introduction process and support the deployment of remaining trains.