ScotRail's scaled back Sunday timetable begins

A temporary scaled-back timetable for Sunday services is now in operation on ScotRail services.

The rail operator, which has been nationalised by the Scottish government, has had a reduced time table in place for Monday to Saturday services since May.

But the jubilee weekend is the first Sunday where the reduced services have been operating.

It follows several weeks of serious disruption to Sunday services.

Delays and cancellations had been caused after many drivers refused to work overtime or on their rest days due to a pay dispute.

ScotRail said the reduced timetables would "provide greater certainty and reliability for customers".

Despite the new timetable, dozens of services were cancelled on Sunday while others were terminated part way through their route.

And ScotRail warned passengers who were attending events at Glasgow's SEC and Hydro to check their travel plans in advance.

It warned that services would depart earlier than normal due to the temporary timetable - meaning some people would have to make alternative arrangements.

Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance will be on at the SEC Armadillo on Sunday evening, finishing at 21:35.

However, the last train to the city centre will leave the Exhibition Centre train station at 21:03 - meaning customers cannot get the train after the performance.

And the service between Glasgow and Edinburgh has been reduced to once an hour, with the last trains leaving each city at 22:00.

The reduced Monday - Saturday ScotRail timetables have been in place since last month.

They have almost 700 fewer services a day, with the last train on many routes leaving up to four hours earlier than before.

On Thursday, the Aslef union said train drivers were close to reaching an agreement with ScotRail despite rejecting its latest 4.2% pay offer.

ScotRail said it was "astonished" that the union had decided not to put the improved pay offer to its members.

It said the "substantially improved" offer reflected the cost-of-living challenges, while balancing it against the need to provide value for the taxpayer.

Aslef members met in Perth on Sunday before further talks with ScotRail begin on Monday.

A Scottish government-owned company took over the running of ScotRail in April, after the previous operator, Abellio, had its franchise ended early amid criticism of the quality of the service.