The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has scheduled strikes against East Midlands Railway (EMR) starting 30 August and 16 September 2026 amid a dispute over safety issues with the new Aurora (Class 810) trains introduced in December 2025.
Safety Concerns Over Aurora (Class 810) Fleet
The union’s dispute with EMR, ongoing since April 2026, centers on what RMT describes as significant faults in the new fleet. RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey states that 16 Class 810 trains require full auxiliary resets, which shuts down safety systems including communications between drivers, dispatchers, and trackside staff. Additional issues include malfunctioning toilets, air conditioning failures, door faults, and trains
becoming stranded on the tracks.
Strike Schedule and Industrial Actions
Following three strike days on Saturdays in August, the RMT announced a 48-hour strike from 00:01 BST on 30 August to 23:59 BST on 31 August 2026, coinciding with the August bank holiday weekend. A further 24-hour strike will take place from 00:01 BST on 16 September to 11:59 BST on 17 September 2026. Alongside these strikes, union members continue industrial action short of strike, such as refusing to operate the Class 810 trains.
East Midlands Railway’s Response and Efforts
East Midlands Railway has held six meetings with union representatives, aiming for constructive dialogue. EMR asserts no safety-critical faults have been
found that would breach regulatory requirements and is collaborating with Hitachi Rail, the train manufacturer, to address the reported issues. Hitachi Rail has increased its capacity for modifications and testing to expedite solutions. EMR customer experience director Philippa Cresswell acknowledged the disruption caused by strikes, especially during the bank holiday, and said service plans are being assessed to determine operable services during strike periods.
Passenger Impact and Service Changes
Strike action will affect EMR’s Intercity services on the specified dates, with some cancellations already occurring in July 2026 due to reliability problems with the Class 810 trains. EMR Regional services will remain unaffected by the
industrial action. The company intends to reinstate some Intercity trains by the end of August 2026. Travelers face potential uncertainty on routes served by EMR during the strikes.
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said, “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. It is now time for EMR management to act on the safety concerns of our members.” EMR’s Philippa Cresswell stated, “We understand how important it is for our customers to have certainty about their travel plans and recognise the uncertainty and
disruption this strike action will cause, particularly over the August bank holiday.”
