The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) has scheduled three 24-hour strikes affecting East Midlands Railway (EMR) services on August 1, 8, and 15, 2026. These industrial actions will take place on Saturdays and target EMR’s operations across central and eastern England.
Cause of Strikes: Safety Faults on Class 810 Aurora Trains
The strikes are a response to concerns raised by the RMT over the introduction of EMR’s Class 810 Aurora fleet, which entered service in December 2025. RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey stated that these trains have safety faults that require full resets, temporarily disabling active safety systems and causing communication failures between train drivers, dispatchers,
and trackside equipment. The union claims these faults have occurred several times in recent weeks.
EMR denies any breach of safety standards on the Class 810 trains, noting that the fleet passed all rigorous independent safety testing before entering passenger service. However, the operator acknowledges ongoing performance and reliability problems with the new trains and is working with manufacturer Hitachi Rail to resolve these issues.
Affected Routes and Service Reductions
EMR services will operate on a significantly reduced timetable from 07:00 to 19:00 on strike days. The affected routes include key Intercity connections between London St Pancras and Nottingham, Sheffield, and Corby, each seeing approximately
one train per hour during strike times. Other cities served by EMR include Derby, Liverpool, Manchester, Norfolk, and Lincolnshire.
EMR has advised passengers to only travel if journeys are essential and to check train running status before traveling. No rail replacement bus services will be provided during the strikes, and regional EMR services are not expected to be impacted. Ticket holders affected by cancellations or disruptions will be entitled to refunds or may use their tickets on alternative routes or operators.
In addition to the strikes, the RMT is implementing action short of strike on August 2-7, 9-14, and from
August 16 onward. Currently, EMR is the only UK rail operator planning industrial action for August 2026, with no nationwide strikes announced outside EMR at this time.
Official Statements from RMT, EMR, and Department for Transport
Eddie Dempsey said the strikes will proceed because EMR has refused to withdraw the Class 810 trains despite negotiations. He said: “EMR has been sending trains into service that are likely to fail and require a full reset which leaves the train with no active safety systems including loss of communication between train drivers, dispatchers, and trackside which has occurred at least three times in the last week alone.” He added that the
union remains open to further talks.
An EMR spokesperson stated: “Any suggestion that the Hitachi Rail Class 810 fleet does not meet the required safety standards is incorrect. These trains entered passenger service only after successfully completing all required testing and meeting the rigorous safety standards required by the independent regulator.” EMR continues to engage with RMT and Hitachi Rail to address reliability issues.
The Department for Transport urged both the RMT and CrossCountry unions to resume negotiations without delay to resolve the dispute promptly.
Background and Context
The Class 810 Aurora trains introduced by EMR in December 2025 have faced ongoing technical
problems affecting onboard systems such as toilets, air conditioning, catering equipment, and critical safety communications. These issues have contributed to the current industrial dispute.
EMR’s managing director Will Rogers left his position amid the crisis. Prior to August 2026, the UK saw limited nationwide rail strikes, with only localized walkouts in London affecting service. Industrial action has also impacted airports across Europe during summer 2026.
The RMT’s strike action on EMR marks a significant escalation in the dispute over train safety and reliability, with direct consequences for passengers traveling across EMR’s extensive network throughout central and eastern England.
