The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has declared new strike dates for members employed by East Midlands Railway (EMR) due to ongoing safety concerns with the Aurora Class 810 train fleet. RMT members will conduct a 48-hour strike starting at 00:01 BST on August 30, 2026, continuing through August 31, followed by a 24-hour strike from 00:01 BST on September 16 to 11:59 BST on September 17. These actions follow three previous Saturday strikes in August amid a dispute dating back to April 2026.
Safety Faults Identified in Aurora Class 810 Trains
The RMT union alleges the Aurora Class 810 trains, introduced by EMR in December 2025,
have been operating with significant faults, including safety-critical issues. According to the union, 16 trains currently require a complete auxiliary reset, which disables active safety systems and causes communication failures between train drivers, dispatchers, and trackside personnel. Additional issues cited include defective toilets, malfunctioning air conditioning, door faults, and instances of trains becoming stranded on the tracks.
EMR and Hitachi Rail Response
East Midlands Railway has held six meetings with RMT representatives to discuss the concerns and is collaborating with manufacturer Hitachi Rail to address and resolve the problems. EMR maintains that no safety-critical faults have been detected that violate regulatory standards for passenger service.
Hitachi Rail has reportedly increased its capacity for modifications and testing to improve the Aurora fleet’s reliability and safety performance.
Impact on Railway Services and Travelers
The strike actions announced are expected to cause service disruptions and cancellations on the East Midlands Railway network, although regional EMR services will remain unaffected. EMR has reduced services during July due to reliability issues with the Class 810 trains and plans to reinstate some Intercity services from late August. The railway operator is currently evaluating which services will run during the strike days, particularly during the August bank holiday period.
Official Statements from RMT and EMR
RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey 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. It is now time for EMR management to act on the safety concerns of our members.” EMR Customer Experience Director Philippa Cresswell acknowledged the disruption caused by the strikes and said, “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. Our teams are currently working through the detail of our service plan and assessing
what services we will be able to operate on the affected days.”
