Talks to end deadlock of rail dispute

TALKS were taking place today in a bid to end the deadlock in the ScotRail dispute which has seen three 24-hour walk-outs.

Union leaders were meeting transport minister Stewart Stevenson in an attempt to resolve the ongoing row over the company's plans to run driver-only trains on the new Airdrie-Bathgate service.

The RMT union says passenger safety will be jeopardised if conductors are not employed on the 300 million line.

Transport Scotland approved the proposals for drivers to operate the doors on the line and last month First Minister Alex Salmond told MSPs changing the trains for conductors to fulfil the role would cost taxpayers 1.4m. The union is questioning what it says is a failure to produce risk assessments on the proposed driver-only mode.

• Five groups are bidding to build the Borders railway from Edinburgh to Tweedbank. Transport Scotland is now expected to draw up a shortlist of three to be invited to tender for the project.