SCOTRAIL strike action remained solid at the weekend, the RMT union said, as conductors and ticket examiners continued weekly stoppages to persuade bosses to enter negotiations.

The rail union repeated warnings that services in Scotland face a summer of disruption unless Scotrail and the Scottish government start talks over a pay rise for workers.

Major events such as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe will otherwise be affected by the action, the RMT said.

General secretary Mick Lynch said: “It is extraordinary that the political leadership in Scotland, who hold a direct brief for transport, have allowed industrial relations on their railways to collapse.

“The Scottish government, Transport Scotland and Scotrail should all be focused on repairing our damaged industrial relations as passengers will be relying on good public transport services for the major events scheduled as we move out of lockdown in the months ahead.

“RMT is repeating the call for top-level summit talks to sort out this industrial relations shambles on Scotland’s railways.”