The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has scheduled two further strikes involving East Midlands Railway (EMR) personnel over safety complaints concerning the new Aurora (Class 810) trains. The dispute, ongoing since April 2026, has led to strike actions and operational disruptions on EMR services across the East Midlands region.
Union Cites Safety Faults, Announces Strike Dates
RMT union members point to significant faults in the Class 810 trains, which were introduced in December 2025. The union identifies safety threats including full auxiliary resets disabling safety systems, loss of communication between drivers and dispatchers, faulty toilets, broken air conditioning, door malfunctions, and instances of trains stranded on
tracks. Ahead of previous strikes, 16 trains required full resets impacting active safety equipment. RMT members are also engaging in action short of strike by refusing to operate Class 810 units. Three earlier Saturday strikes occurred in August 2026.
The new strike periods announced are a 48-hour walkout from 00:01 BST on August 30 to 23:59 BST on August 31, coinciding with the August bank holiday weekend. A 24-hour strike follows from 00:01 BST on September 16 to 11:59 BST on September 17, 2026.
EMR Denies Safety-Critical Faults but Acknowledges Disruption
East Midlands Railway states it has found no safety-critical faults that breach passenger service regulations on
the Aurora fleet. EMR confirms 16 trains required auxiliary resets but maintains regulatory compliance. The company has engaged in six meetings with union representatives and is collaborating with Hitachi Rail, the contractor responsible for modifications and testing, which has increased capacity to address technical issues.
Philippa Cresswell, EMR’s customer experience director, acknowledged the disruption the strikes will cause, especially over the August bank holiday, and said service plans for the strike days are under active review. EMR has indicated that its Regional services will remain unaffected by the strike action.
Service Reductions and Planned Restorations
EMR reduced service levels in July 2026 due to reliability
issues related to the Class 810 trains. The company plans to reinstate certain cancelled Intercity services starting at the end of August. The strike action may result in reduced or cancelled services on the affected dates, impacting passenger travel primarily on EMR’s Intercity routes.
Union Demands Removal of Faulty Trains Pending Fixes
RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey insists the Aurora trains be withdrawn from service until the faults are rectified and the trains demonstrate safe operation. He stated, “RMT is demanding that whilst these faults exist and until these trains are shown to be operating properly, they should be taken out of service.” Dempsey added, “It is now
time for EMR management to act on the safety concerns of our members.”
