HUNDREDS of rail passengers were left in the lurch as ScotRail staff carried out the first in a series of planned strikes – with another planned for tomorrow.

Borders Railway passengers can expect cancellations and severe disruptions over the coming weeks - with three more this week.

Tomorrow, as with yesterday, trains between Tweedbank and Edinburgh are reduced to an hourly service, with those before 7.30am and after 6.30pm cancelled altogether.

The dispute between ScotRail and its staff centres around changes to the role of train conductors.

Members of transport union RMT, ScotRail conductors and instructors, are striking over plans to extend ‘driver only operation’ on trains. 

This is where the driver is asked to close the doors at stations, instead of the on-board conductor. 

Drivers have CCTV in the cabs to check people are clear of the doors, but the union has said this is not safe and passengers will get hurt.

Talks between ScotRail chiefs and the union were supposed to take place over the weekend, but a union spokesperson told us that “ScotRail refused to attend”.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: “It is extraordinary that Abellio/Scotrail continue to ignore the strength of feeling amongst their staff over the extension of Driver Only Operation (DOO) and that they are still trying to by-pass the normal negotiating machinery. 

“That disgraceful and cavalier approach to jobs and safety on Scotland’s railways now leaves us with no choice but to move to a campaign of industrial action.

“Our members on Scotrail stand determined and united in this fight for jobs and safety on Scotland’s rail services.

"The workforce know that any extension of DOO is a clear attack on our members’ hard-earned terms and conditions.

"RMT members should not have to face the risk of their role and responsibilities being reduced and undermined.

“The union remains available for serious and meaningful talks but the ball is now firmly in Scotrail’s court.”

Scottish Borders Council leader David Parker hopes to alleviate as much upheaval as possible for Borders commuters in the coming days. 

He said: “Scottish Borders Council will be doing everything they can to make sure the Borders Railway runs as smoothly as possible across these days, and we will be talking to Network Rail and encouraging them to find a solution.”

The strike action is planned for:

Thursday, June 23; Saturday, June 25; Sunday, June 26; Sunday, July 3; Sunday, July 10; and Sunday, July 17. 

Overtime bans are also planned for:

Wednesday, June 22; Friday June 24; Monday, June 27; Saturday, July 2; Monday, July 11; Saturday, July 16; Monday, July 18; and Saturday, July 16.

ScotRail said the “needless” strike action would “affect tens of thousands of passengers”.

A spokeswoman added: “We are working flat out to put in place the plans that will allow us to run as many services as possible on the strike days. We have already published details on routes that will be impacted and these can be found on our website – customers should refer to this information and plan ahead.

“We will operate the maximum number of services per day that we can. We have a responsibility to keep our customers and our country moving. This is a responsibility that we take seriously.”