Union awaits answers amid rail improvement plan

The RMT union has said it still has "more questions than answers" over ongoing problems with a new fleet of East Midlands Railway (EMR) trains as members prepare for ongoing strike action.

EMR reduced services in July due to "reliability issues" with the new Aurora (Class 810) trains, made by Hitachi, which were brought into service in December 2025.

Union members went on strike on 1 August and plan to strike the next two Saturdays, while action short of a strike is planned throughout the month.

EMR and Hitachi have said they are working together on an "agreed action plan" to see improvements made to both the new fleet and the older Class 222 fleet.

In a statement released the week, EMR said it was "confident" Hitachi Rail would "address all the performance issues that we have consistently pressed for".

Meanwhile Hitachi Rail said it had increased its capacity for "modifications and testing" and was working with all partners to resolve the issues.

However, no estimated or definitive time period has been confirmed as to when services will be reinstated to a normal timetable.

John Watson, RMT's regional organiser, said the planned industrial action was "firmly on".

"At the present moment in time with more questions than answers to a lot of the points the members are of the opinion that the action stays on.

"This isn't just about our staff, it's about the passengers and the experience of the passengers," he said.

The RMT said ongoing problems with the new fleet included a fault requiring an "auxiliary on/auxiliary off" reset, issues with driver access to cabins, problems with staff accessing emergency equipment and access to toilets.

Watson said while EMR had made attempts to resolve issues, the company's "hands are tied in lots of ways".

"EMR are taking these things seriously, we can tell that they are, but the problem then still lies with Hitachi actually getting these trains fit for service," he said.

EMR has said it will operate a "significantly reduced service timetable" when union members strike on 8 August and 15 August - starting at 07:00 and finishing before 19:00 on its Intercity and Connect routes.

Intercity services run between the East Midlands and London, as well as between cities in the East Midlands and Manchester and Liverpool.

The Connect route provides services between London St Pancras and Luton Airport.

Action short of a strike is planned from from 2 to 7 August, 9 to 14 August and from 16 August until further notice. EMR said trains may be subject to short notice changes and cancellations on those dates.

Watson said strike action was a "last resort" for union members.

"Our members are having to suffer the same issues with these trains that the passengers are, so we totally understand.

"Members have said enough is enough. It's affecting both staff and passengers exactly the same," he said.

In a statement released this week, the rail firm said: "EMR remains committed to delivering the safe, reliable, high-performing and punctual service our customers expect, while operating a railway our colleagues can be proud to be part of.

"When EMR selected Hitachi to build and maintain the new Aurora intercity trains and to maintain the outgoing fleet, we did so based on its global reputation for engineering excellence and the proven performance of its trains across the UK rail network and internationally. That reputation is why we remain confident that Hitachi, which has also been invited by Northern to bid for its new train fleet, will address all the performance issues that we have consistently pressed for.

"We have agreed an integrated action plan to support this work and look forward to seeing rapid improvements, with Hitachi's Global Executive Leadership team now directly involved and bringing its expertise to bear. Despite the reliability issues, all EMR trains, including the Class 810 fleet, have been licensed by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) and only entered service after successfully completing all required testing and meeting the regulator's rigorous safety standards.

"Hitachi's increased focus was both necessary and welcome. We will continue to work closely with Hitachi to ensure these issues are resolved for the benefit of our colleagues and customers."

A Hitachi Rail spokesperson said: "We are working closely with all industry partners to implement the agreed integrated action plan. This is already being delivered across both the Class 810 and Class 222 fleets.

"The Class 810 fleet underwent extensive testing, assurance and independent approval processes before entering passenger service.

"Modifications identified during the entry-into-service phase are already being implemented and progress is well under way.

"We are also increasing maintenance activity and working closely with our supply chain to improve the availability of materials and components for the Class 222 fleet.

"To increase capacity for modifications and testing, we have invested in additional activity at Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre. This will support software implementation, testing and continued fleet introduction, progressing the transition from older to newer trains.

"We apologise for the inconvenience caused. We are focused on working with all partners to resolve the situation."

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