NINE of the 15 trains running between the Scottish Borders and Edinburgh today Tuesday May 24 2022 have reduced capacity.

This week the number of trains scheduled to run between Tweedbank and Edinburgh Waverley was cut by more than half from 31-15.

ScotRail say that a shortage of train drivers is the reason for this, and the company has apologised for the inconvenience caused.

ScotRail are due open informal talks with train drivers union Aslef today ahead of formal negotiations on Thursday in a bid to resolve the pay dispute which has led to a reduction in services throughout the country.

ScotRail relies heavily on its drivers volunteering to work overtime or on rest days.

But drivers have refused to work overtime and on rest days, after the union rejected a 2.2% pay offer.

Both sides had been in deadlock after the union said it was balloting members for strike action over the pay offer.

One event that could be hit is Scotland’s sold-out World Cup qualifying match against Ukraine at Hampden on June 1.

Under ScotRail’s revised timetables, local train services will finish midway through the game, threatening travel chaos for fans.