Rail Union Plans Strikes Over Train Safety Concerns
· news
Faulty Trains and a System in Crisis
The RMT union’s decision to strike over safety concerns on East Midlands Railway (EMR) highlights the systemic failures plaguing our rail network. At the center of this dispute are the Hitachi Rail Class 810 trains, which have been plagued by reliability issues and faults since their introduction last year.
The trend is disturbing: EMR has prioritized rolling out new trains over ensuring they meet basic safety standards. The company’s decision to send faulty trains into service is reckless, putting passengers’ lives at risk. An operational briefing seen by the BBC raises questions about the safety protocols in place. The briefing details an Aux Off / Aux On reset procedure for Class 810 units.
The RMT has criticized EMR’s handling of this situation, with General Secretary Eddie Dempsey accusing the company of being “extremely patient” but failing to engage meaningfully with union reps. This lack of communication and consultation is a symptom of a larger problem: a rail industry that values efficiency over safety.
The rollout of new trains has been plagued by delays and cost overruns. The Class 810 fleet has suffered from performance and reliability issues since its introduction in December 2025. Hitachi Rail’s commitment to delivering the remainder of the fleet does little to address fundamental flaws in the system.
This crisis highlights the need for a more robust safety culture within our rail industry. The Department for Transport must review regulations governing train manufacture and deployment, ensuring companies like EMR are held accountable for putting passengers first. It’s time to end the culture of complacency that has allowed this situation to fester.
The lessons of past rail disasters should not be forgotten. The Clapham Junction disaster in 1988 and the Hatfield derailment in 2000 were preventable tragedies that highlighted systemic failures within the industry. We must learn from these mistakes to create a safer, more reliable rail network for all.
The RMT’s strike action is a necessary step in bringing attention to this issue and forcing EMR to take responsibility for its actions. The company must prioritize passenger safety above all else. The question now is: will they listen before it’s too late?
Reader Views
- EKEditor K. Wells · editor
The root cause of this crisis goes beyond just faulty trains and system failures - it's about a culture that's more concerned with hitting targets than with public safety. While the Department for Transport reviews regulations, we need to examine the systemic issues driving companies like EMR to prioritize efficiency over safety. What about the long-term consequences of pushing new trains onto the network without adequate testing? We're creating a ticking time bomb in our pursuit of modernization. The next disaster is not just a possibility, it's a probability.
- ADAnalyst D. Park · policy analyst
While the RMT's decision to strike is a necessary wake-up call for East Midlands Railway, it also raises questions about the union's own role in addressing safety concerns. In recent years, the RMT has been criticized for its inflexibility on issues like driver-only operation, which could be addressed through compromise rather than blanket opposition. To truly improve rail safety, all stakeholders must engage in a more nuanced and collaborative discussion about what works best for passengers – not just union members or industry executives.
- CMColumnist M. Reid · opinion columnist
The safety crisis on East Midlands Railway is a symptom of a broader malaise within our rail industry: a toxic culture that prioritizes punctuality and profit over people's lives. While the RMT union's strike action highlights EMR's reckless disregard for safety standards, we must also scrutinize the role of regulatory bodies in allowing this to happen. Are there enough robust checks on manufacturers like Hitachi Rail, and on operators like EMR? Until the industry prioritizes accountability and transparency, we can't expect anything but more of the same – trains pushed into service before they're safe to run.