The planned 24-hour strike by RMT union members starting at 12:00 BST on Wednesday was suspended following notable concessions from East Midlands Railway (EMR) management concerning safety issues with the Aurora Class 810 train fleet. The dispute involves EMR, the RMT union, and Hitachi Rail, manufacturer of the Class 810 trains operating on the East Midlands Railway network in the United Kingdom.
Safety concerns with Aurora Class 810 trains
The RMT has raised concerns since April about repeated faults affecting the Aurora (Class 810) fleet, which was introduced into service in December 2025. Reported issues include unsolicited brake applications, communication failures between drivers and dispatchers, Aux On/Off
failures, broken air conditioning, faulty toilets, door problems, and trains stranded on tracks. The union stated that 16 trains required full auxiliary resets during operations, resulting in loss of critical safety communications.
Cooperation steps by East Midlands Railway and Hitachi Rail
East Midlands Railway and Hitachi Rail have collaborated to improve the Class 810 trains’ reliability and comfort while addressing RMT concerns. An Aux reset process has been agreed upon with the union, supported by new briefing plans for train managers and customer host mentors. Hitachi Rail increased maintenance activities, capacity for modifications, and conducted extensive testing under a joint action plan to rectify faults.
Statements from union and railway officials
RMT General Secretary Eddie
Dempsey praised members for insisting that the fleet operates only under safe conditions but expressed disappointment over EMR’s refusal to accept demands regarding unsolicited brake applications and Aux On/Off failures. “On top of faulty toilets, broken air con systems and communication and door issues, we are seeing trains stranded on the track and staff are losing confidence in safety levels,” Dempsey stated. EMR’s Customer Experience Director Philippa Cresswell welcomed the suspension of the strike and emphasized the commitment to resolving the dispute constructively through continued dialogue.
Safety compliance and ongoing vigilance
An EMR spokesperson declared that “no safety-critical faults have been identified that prevent the
trains from meeting regulatory requirements for passenger service.” The union confirmed that although the strike is suspended, planned action short of strike will proceed on 20 September if unsolicited brake applications persist. Dempsey reiterated the RMT’s focus on railway safety and vigilance in monitoring the Class 810 fleet.
Pending potential disruptions
While the strike suspension reduces immediate passenger disruption on the East Midlands Railway network, the RMT’s action short of strike on 20 September remains scheduled to respond to any recurrence of safety faults. The Aux reset process is supported by briefing plans involving train manager and customer host mentors to ensure improved
operational safety. Details on the scale of passenger impact from prior disruptions or specific cancellations were not disclosed.
