'No evidence' Hull Trains driver fell asleep, Aslef rep says
A union representative has said there is "no evidence" to support an accusation that a Hull Trains driver fell asleep at the controls.The Aslef union is locked in an industrial dispute with the rail operator after claiming the driver raised a safety concern and was "unfairly dismissed", which Hull Trains denies.Asked to comment on a report in the Telegraph newspaper, which said the driver had fallen asleep and failed to officially report it, Nigel Roebuck, a district organiser for the union, said: "Let's see the evidence of him falling asleep. He reported a fatigue-related incident."Hull Trains previously said: "The safety of our customers and colleagues is always our number one priority."
Strike action due to last eight weeks was launched on Monday, though the union said a walkout on Tuesday had been postponed. The Telegraph said it had seen a letter from the managing director of Hull Trains to Mr Roebuck and a union colleague, which stated that the driver had experienced "fatigue matters" while at the controls of trains on more than one occasion.Mr Roebuck said safety systems on the train would have activated if the driver had been asleep."He reported he felt fatigued during the week he was driving trains. He didn't say he fell asleep," he said."If people want to make statements then they need to back it up because there is no evidence."
Hull Trains operates services between Hull and London King's Cross, with stops at stations including Selby, Doncaster, Retford and Grantham.The latest round of industrial action is due to run until 24 May, the union said.Mr Roebuck added: "We've been very clear, the people that drive Hull Trains believe their colleague has been unjustly sacked. Our position is that he should be reinstated."The seriousness of the situation needs Hull Trains to come to the table."Asked about the strikes, Hull Trains said 80% of its services were still operating as planned and it had made "minor alterations" to its timetable.The firm declined to comment about the driver.
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