London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Feb 25, 2026

Covid in Scotland: ScotRail absences causing 'significant disruption'

Covid in Scotland: ScotRail absences causing 'significant disruption'

Scotland's rail network is facing "significant disruption" as more than 300 ScotRail staff are currently isolating due to Covid.

The operator said more than 100 services were cancelled on Wednesday.

ScotRail will move to a temporary timetable in January in a bid to offset the impact of the new Omicron variant.

The data emerged as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed a record 15,849 people tested positive in Scotland on Tuesday.

ScotRail communications director David Ross said 320 staff were currently absent, including more than 100 drivers and about 60 conductors.

It is about about 6% of the workforce of 5,300 drivers, conductors and engineers.

The firm has repeatedly warned that staff absences were affecting services over the last couple of weeks, asking passengers to check services before they travel.

Mr Ross told BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime programme that the 10-day isolation rule on its own was not to blame for the cancellations as it only accounted for up to 25% of staff who are currently absent.

He added: "The most significant impact is people who have tested positive themselves or who have symptoms and are awaiting a PCR result so, regardless of the household contact policy there will still be an impact on our services."

Mr Ross said fewer people are using trains at the moment but urged passengers to check before they travel, space out as much as possible and to wait for the next service if a train is too busy.

ScotRail has said it will continue to review staff absence levels over the coming weeks in the event of a further spike in cases. 

Routes affected by the timetable revision, which starts on Tuesday, include: 

*  Glasgow Central - Neilston / Newton

*  Glasgow Central - East Kilbride

*  Glasgow Central - Lanark 

*  Glasgow Central - Ayrshire / Inverclyde / Stranraer 

*  Glasgow Central - Edinburgh Waverley via Shotts

*  Glasgow Queen Street - Edinburgh Waverley via Airdrie & Bathgate

*  Glasgow Queen Street - Edinburgh Waverley via Cumbernauld & Falkirk Grahamston

*  Glasgow Queen Street / Edinburgh Waverley - Stirling / Dunblane / Alloa 

*  Glasgow Queen Street - Anniesland via Maryhill 

*  Edinburgh Waverley - Dunbar / North Berwick 

*  Edinburgh Waverley - Fife 

*  Edinburgh Waverley - Newcraighall / Tweedbank 

  A full list of the changes can be found on the ScotRail website.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Lord Mandelson Condemns Arrest as Driven by ‘Baseless Suggestion’ He Would Flee Abroad
Former UK Ambassador Released on Bail Following Arrest in Epstein-Linked Investigation
UK Parliament Orders Release of Former Prince Andrew’s Government Vetting Files
Reddit Fined £14 Million by UK Regulator Over Failures in Age Verification Controls
UK Moves to Tighten Regulation of Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video Under New Media Rules
British Woman Who Reported Rape in Hong Kong Faces Possible Prosecution
'Christianity is the religion that has made this country great.'
Man Receives Parking Ticket 38 Years After Offense: ‘City Officials Said It’s Legitimate’
Woman Receives Gift Card for Christmas – Discovers It Is ‘Worth’ 63,000,000,000,000,000 Pounds
UK Sanctions New Zealand Insurer Maritime Mutual Following Allegations Over Russian Oil Cover
Reform MP Danny Kruger Condemns UK’s ‘Unregulated Sexual Economy’ in Call for Tougher Controls
The Show Must Go On: Prince William and Kate Middleton Shine at the BAFTAs Amid Andrew’s Arrest
UK Sanctions Russian ‘Illicit Oil Traders’ After Email Blunder Exposes Sanctions Evasion Network
Russia Amplifies Baseless Claims That UK and France Plan to Arm Ukraine with Nuclear Weapons
UK Imposes Sanctions on Two Georgian Television Channels Over Alleged Russian Disinformation
United States National Parks See Noticeable Drop in Visitors from Canada, U.K. and Australia
UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand Escalate Sanctions on Russia as Ukraine War Marks Four Years
I Gave Andrew a Nude Massage Inside Buckingham Palace
UK Economy Faces Acute Strain as Trump’s Global Tariff Reshapes Trade Landscape
UK Signals Retaliation Is Possible as New US Tariff Policy Threatens Trade Stability
British Police Arrest Former Ambassador Peter Mandelson in Epstein-Related Misconduct Probe
Australia Officially Supports Proposal to Remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from Royal Succession
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan remains silent on ISIS brides' resettlement plans in Melbourne
Former UK Ambassador Peter Mandelson Arrested in Connection with Jeffrey Epstein
Jacob Rees Mogg afraid to talk about Peter Mandelson arrest on “suspicion of misconduct in a public office” (Pedophilia, corruption, etc.)
United Nations Calls for Global Action Against Disinformation and Hate Speech Online
Tucker Carlson warns of an inevitable clash in Western societies over mass migration
President Trump warns countries against abandoning recent trade deals with the US
Diverging Polls Show Mixed Signals on UK Economic Revival as Confidence Remains Fragile
Spotify Expands AI-Driven ‘Prompted Playlists’ Feature to the United Kingdom and Other Markets
Greens and Reform UK Surge in Manchester By-Election, Threatening Labour’s Historic Stronghold
UK Businesses Push for Closer European Trade Links Amid Renewed US Tariff Uncertainty
Deloitte Global Overhaul Sparks Leadership Contest in the United Kingdom
University of Kentucky and Microsoft to Showcase Campus-Wide AI Innovation
UK Food System Faces Acute Vulnerability to Shocks, Experts Warn
Reform UK’s Proposed ICE-Style Deportation Scheme Triggers Sharp Backlash
U.S. Global Tariff Push Leaves Britain, Australia and Others Facing Higher Costs and Trade Strain
UK Police Officers Guarded 2010 Epstein Dinner Attended by Prince Andrew, Reports Say
US Trade Representative Affirms Commitment to Existing Tariff Agreements with UK and Other Partners
Activists at the Louvre hung a framed Reuters photograph of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor slumped in the back of a car leaving a police station on the day of his arrest
The royal biographer said that he expected the police to 'look at the money trail' - including Sarah Ferguson borrowing money from Epstein
A Protestor screams in NYC: “Bill Gates is on the Epstein’s List…”
FBI and Secret Service Hold Press Conference After Shooting Incident at Mar-a-Lago
Mark Zuckerberg Testifies in Trial Over Social Media's Impact on Children's Mental Health
Maggie Oliver exposes Keir Starmer using letters to close child rapists investigations
Kouri Richie's wrote a children’s book to help her sons grieve the death of their father. Now she’ll stand trial for his murder
New York Braces for Major Snowstorm With Up to 18 Inches Forecast and Blizzard Warnings Issued
Mexican Military Kills CJNG Leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes as Violence Erupts Across Jalisco
Metropolitan Police Deploys Palantir-Powered AI to Flag Potential Officer Misconduct
UK Parliament Rebukes Police Over Ban on Israeli Football Fans
×