Closing ticket offices at train stations would be “disastrous” rail …
A council has added its voice to those calling for train station ticket offices to be saved from the axe, branding the potential closures as “disastrous news”. Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council[1] has unanimously backed a campaign to save the office at its local station.
Hinckley Rail Station[2] is among five stations in the county which could lose their ticket offices as the Government and train companies seek to “modernise” their operations. Loughborough, Market Harborough, Narborough, and Melton are also on the Leicestershire list set to lose out, as are East Midlands Parkway, Skegness and Oakham.
Up to 1,000 ticket offices could close nationally,[3] meaning people will be forced to use apps or self-service machines to buy tickets. East Midlands Railways (EMR)[4] launched a public consultation into the plan earlier this month, which is set to conclude next Wednesday, (July 26).
According to EMR, on average less than five per cent of all tickets sold for its trains are bought at ticket offices – compared to 80 per cent in the mid-90s, with passengers choosing to use self-service machines or buy tickets online. The staff who currently work at the affected ticket offices would move into “customer help roles” on station platforms and concourses, according to EMR, creating more face-to-face support for travellers.
However, local people and politicians[6] have voiced strong opposition to the plans. Michael Mullaney, Liberal Democrat councillor for Hinckley, said packaging the closures as a move towards modernisation is a “smokescreen” and urged local residents to respond to the consultation.
He added: “Not all residents are able to use ticket vending machines or online ticketing platforms. Many journeys require human assistance to ensure customers purchase the most appropriate and cheapest tickets, and do not incur penalties from mis-booked tickets.
“Those who have used Hinckley station over the years will be familiar with Michael who serves at the ticket office in the morning. Michael has worked at the station for decades and has a wealth of knowledge and experience which would be lost if the ticket office was closed at Hinckley.
“The attempts to close our ticket offices are disastrous news for passengers in general and in particular for any elderly, disabled and vulnerable passengers trying to access the rail network – 180 million journeys were made last year by people who used ticket offices. Attacking these services is not in the interests of passengers.”
Coun Mullaney is not the only local politician to have spoken out against the proposed closures. MP for South Leicestershire Alberto Costa recently met with representatives from East Midlands Railway and campaigners to discuss concerns about the office at Narborough Railway Station[7] closing.
Narborough station does not have electronic ticket machines, leaving many worried they would be forced to purchase theirs online. East Midlands Railway confirmed that if the closure of the ticket office did go ahead then an electronic ticket machine would be installed soon after, Mr Costa said.
He added: “It is important that my constituents and other passengers have options in terms of how they choose to purchase tickets. These proposals do not seem to take account of those who may not be able or confident in purchasing their tickets online, and therefore it is important that EMR consider these options before they make any final decisions on any changes at Narborough.”
Councillor Paul Hartshorn, who will be fighting to claim the South Leicestershire seat for the Liberal Democrats at the next general election, has also spoken out over the Narborough station closure. He turned out in support of campaigners at a protest outside the station this week[8].
He said: “This is absolute madness. Ticket offices are a lifeline for so many users, particularly the elderly and disabled. These proposals need to be scrapped.”
Jac Starr, CEO of the Rail Delivery Group,[9] said earlier this month: “The ways our customers buy tickets have changed and it’s time for the railway to change with them. Our proposals would mean more staff on hand on to give face-to-face help with a much wider range of needs, from journey planning, to finding the right ticket and helping those with accessibility needs.
“Our commitment is that we will always treat our staff, who are hugely valued, fairly, with support and extra training to move in to new, rewarding and varied roles and we will never compromise on safety. We also understand that our customers have differing needs which is why train companies will be consulting widely with accessibility and passenger groups to take on board their views.”
Full list of proposed railway station ticket office closures
Northern Trains ticket office closures
Accrington, Adlington, Alderley Edge, Alnmouth, Appleby, Ashton-Under-Lyne, Atherton, Barnsley, Beverley, Bingley, Birchwood, Bradford Forster Square, Bramhall, Bredbury, Bridlington, Brinnington, Broad Green, Broadbottom, Bromley Cross, Buckshaw Parkway, Burnage, Burnley Central, Burnley Manchester Road, Buxton,
Chassen Road, Cheadle Hulme, Chorley, Congleton, Cross Gates Yorks, Daisy Hill, Davenport, Deansgate, Dinting, Disley, Driffield, Earlestown, East Didsbury, Eccles, Eccleston Park, Edge Hill Liverpool
Farnworth, Flixton, Garforth, Garswood, Gatley, Glazebrook, Goole, Gorton, Grange-Over-Sands, Greenfield, Guide Bridge, Guiseley, Hadfield, Hag Fold, Hale, Halewood, Halifax, Handforth, Hattersley, Hazel Grove, Heald Green, Heaton Chapel, Hebden Bridge, Hexham, Hindley, Holmes Chapel, Horsforth, Hough Green, Huyton,
Ilkley, Keighley, Kirkham & Wesham, Knutsford, Lea Green, Leeds Travel Centre, Levenshulme, Leyland, Littleborough, Lostock Parkway, Marple, Mauldeth Road, Meadowhall, Menston, Mexborough, Morecambe, Morpeth, Mossley (Greater Manchester), Mossley Hill, New Mills Central, New Mills Newtown, New Pudsey, Newton For Hyde, Newton-Le-Willows, Northwich,
Parbold, Poulton-Le-Fylde, Poynton, Prescot, Rainhill, Redcar Central, Reddish North, Roby, Romiley, Rose Hill (Marple), Rotherham Central, Salford Central, Sandbach, Settle, Shipley, St Annes-On-The-Sea, St Helens Junction, Sunderland, Swinton (Yorkshire), Swinton (Greater Manchester), Thatto Heath, Thorne North, Todmorden, Ulverston, Urmston, Walkden, Warrington West, Wavertree Technology Park, West Allerton, Whaley Bridge, Whiston, Whitehaven, Widnes
Cross Country ticket office closures
Does not operate stations directly.
Says it will be consulted as part of the process and “review proposals carefully”
C2C ticket office closures
Chalkwell, East Tilbury, Laindon, Leigh, Ockendon, Pitsea, Purfleet,
Shoebury, Southend East, Stanford le Hope, Thorpe Bay, and Tilbury
Avanti West Coast ticket office closures
Birmingham International, Birmingham New Street, Carlisle, Coventry, Crewe, Glasgow Central, Lancaster, London Euston
Macclesfield, Manchester Piccadilly, Oxenholme Lake District, Penrith North Lakes, Preston, Rugby, Runcorn, Stoke-on-Trent, Stockport, Stafford, Warrington Bank Quay, and Wigan North Western
Chiltern Railways ticket office closures
London Marylebone, Beaconsfield, Denham, Gerrards Cross, High Wycombe, Seer Green & Jordans, Aylesbury, Aylesbury Vale Parkway, Great Missenden, Haddenham & Thame, Princes Risborough,
Stoke Mandeville, Wendover, Banbury, Bicester North, Leamington Spa, Warwick, Warwick Parkway, Birmingham Moor Street, Dorridge, Solihull, and Northolt Park
South Western Trains ticket office closures
Proposing to close all ticket offices and switch to “more face-to-face support” for customers.
Addlestone, Aldershot, Alton, Andover, Ascot (Berks), Ash, Ash Vale, Ashford (Surrey), Ashtead, Ashurst New Forest, Axminster, Bagshot, Barnes, Barnes Bridge, Basingstoke, Beaulieu Road, Bedhampton, Bentley, Berrylands, Bitterne, Bookham, Botley, Bournemouth, Box Hill and Westhumble, Bracknell, Brading, Branksome, Brentford, Brockenhurst, Brookwood, Bruton, Bursledon, Byfleet and New Haw,
Camberley, Castle Cary, Chandlers Ford, Chertsey, Chessington North, Chessington South, Chiswick, Christchurch, Clandon, Clapham Junction, Claygate, Cobham and Stoke d’Abernon, Corfe Castle, Cosham, Cranbrook Devon, Crewkerne, Datchet, Dean (Wiltshire),
Earley, Earlsfield, Eastleigh, Effingham Junction, Egham, Epsom Surrey, Esher, Ewell West, Exeter Central, Exeter St Davids, Fareham, Farnborough (Main), Farncombe, Farnham, Feltham, Feniton, Fleet, Fratton, Frimley, Frome, Fulwell, Gillingham (Dorset), Godalming,
Hamble, Hampton London, Hampton Court, Hampton Wick, Hamworthy, Haslemere, Havant, Hedge End, Hersham, Hilsea, Hinchley Wood, Hinton Admiral, Holton Heath, Honiton, Hook, Horsley, Hounslow, Isleworth, Kempton Park Racecourse, Kew Bridge, Kingston, Lake, Leatherhead, Liphook, Liss, London Road (Guildford), London Waterloo, Longcross, Lymington Pier, Lymington Town,
Malden Manor, Martins Heron, Micheldever, Milford (Surrey), Millbrook (Hants), Moreton (Dorset), Mortlake, Motspur Park, Mottisfont and Dunbridge, Netley, New Malden, New Milton, Norbiton, North Sheen, Overton, Oxshott,
Parkstone Dorset, Petersfield, Pinhoe, Pokesdown, Poole, Portchester, Portsmouth and Southsea, Portsmouth Harbour, Putney, Queenstown Road (Battersea), Raynes Park, Reading, Redbridge, Richmond (London), Romsey, Rowlands Castle, Ryde Esplanade, Ryde Pier Head, Ryde St Johns Road,
Salisbury, Sandown, Shanklin, Shawford, Shepperton, Sherborne, Sholing, Smallbrook Junction, Southampton Airport (Parkway), Southampton Central, Staines, St Denys, St Margarets (London), Stoneleigh, Strawberry Hill, Sunbury, Sunningdale, Sunnymeads, Surbiton, Swanwick, Sway, Swaythling, Syon Lane, Teddington, Templecombe, Thames Ditton, Tisbury, Tolworth, Totton, Twickenham, Upper Halliford, Upwey, Vauxhall, Virginia Water,
Walton-On-Thames, Wanborough, Wandsworth Town, Wareham (Dorset), Warminster, West Byfleet, Westbury, Weybridge, Weymouth, Whimple, Whitchurch (Hampshire), Whitton (London), Wimbledon, Winchester, Winchfield, Windsor and Eton Riverside, Winnersh, Winnersh Triangle, Witley, Woking, Wokingham, Wool, Woolston, Worcester Park, Worplesdon, Wraysbury, Yeovil Junction, and Yeovil Pen Mill
East Midlands Railways ticket office closures
Alfreton, Boston, Chesterfield, Hinckley, Kidsgrove, Long Eaton, Mansfield, Melton Mowbray, Newark Castle,
Oakham, Skegness, Spalding, Wellingborough, Beeston, Burton-on-Trent, Corby, East Midlands Parkway, Kettering, Loughborough, Market Harborough, Narborough, Sleaford, and Stamford (Lincs)
Grand Central ticket office closures
Does not operate stations directly.
Arriva Rail London ticket office closures
(Operate London Overground)
Not part of consultation
Greater Anglia ticket office closures
Audley End, Billericay, Bishop’s Stortford, Braintree, Brimsdown, Broxbourne, Burnham-On-Crouch, Cheshunt, Clacton-On-Sea, Colchester Town, Diss, Elsenham, Ely, Enfield Lock, Frinton-On-Sea, Great Yarmouth, Harlow Town, Hatfield Peverel, Hertford East, Hockley, Ingatestone, Kelvedon, Lowestoft,
Manningtree, March, Marks Tey, Newport (Essex), Prittlewell, Rayleigh, Rochford, Rye House, Sawbridgeworth, Shelford, Shenfield, South Woodham Ferrers, Southend Victoria, St Margarets, Stansted Mountfitchet, Stowmarket, Thetford, Tottenham Hale, Waltham Cross, Ware, Whittlesford Parkway, Wickford, Witham, Wivenhoe, and
London North Eastern Railway ticket office closures
(Operates services on the East Coast Main Line)
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Darlington, Durhan, Grantham, Newark Northgate, Retford, and Wakefield Westgate.
Southern ticket office closures
Alexandra Palace Current, Angmering, Arlesey, Arundel, Ashtead, Ashwell & Morden, Balcombe, Baldock, Balham, Barnham, Battersea Park, Beckenham Hill, Bedford, Bellingham, Berwick, Bexhill, Biggleswade, Billingshurst, Bognor Regis, Bosham, Bowes Park, Brighton, Brookmans Park, Burgess Hill, Buxted,
Carshalton, Carshalton Beeches, Caterham, Catford, Cheam, Chichester, Chipstead, Christ’s Hospital, City Thameslink, Cooden Beach, Coulsdon South, Coulsdon Town, Crawley, Cricklewood, Crofton Park, Crowborough, Cuffley, Denmark Hill, Dorking, Dormans, Downham Market, Drayton Park, Durrington On Sea,
Earlswood, East Croydon, East Dulwich, East Grinstead, Eastbourne, Edenbridge Town, Elephant & Castle, Elstree & Borehamwood, Emsworth, Enfield Chase, Epsom, Eridge, Essex Road, Ewell East, Falmer, Farringdon, Finsbury Park, Flitwick, Ford, Gipsy Hill, Gordon Hill, Goring By Sea, Grange Park,
Hackbridge, Hadley Wood, Ham Street, Hampden Park, Harlington, Harpenden, Hassocks, Hatfield (Herts.), Haydons Road, Haywards Heath, Hendon, Hertford North, Hitchin, Horley, Hornsey, Horsham, Hove, Huntingdon, Hurst Green, Ifield, Kenley, Kings Lynn, Kingswood, Knebworth, Lancing, Leagrave, Leatherhead, Letchworth Garden City, Lewes, Lingfield, Littlehampton, London Blackfriars, London Road, London St Pancras International, London Victoria, Loughborough Junction, Luton, Luton Airport Parkway,
Meldreth, Merstham, Mill Hill Broadway, Mitcham Eastfields, Mitcham Junction, Moulsecoomb, New Barnet, New Southgate, Newhaven Town, Norbury, North Dulwich, Nunhead, Oakleigh Park, Oxted, Palmers Green, Peckham Rye, Pevensey & Westham, Plumpton, Polegate, Portslade, Potters Bar, Preston Park, Pulborough, Purley, Purley Oaks, Queens Road Peckham, Radlett, Ravensbourne, Redhill, Reedham, Reigate, Riddlesdown, Royston, Rye, Salfords,
Sanderstead, Sandy, Seaford, Selhurst, Shoreham By Sea, South Bermondsey, South Croydon, Southbourne, Southwick, St Albans, St Neots, Stevenage, Streatham, Streatham Hill, Sutton, Tadworth, Tattenham Corner, Thornton Heath, Three Bridges, Tooting, Tulse Hill, Uckfield, Upper Warlingham,
Waddon, Wallington, Wandsworth Common, Warblington, Watton-At-Stone, Welham Green, Welwyn Garden City, Welwyn North, West Hampstead Thameslink, West Norwood, West Worthing, Whyteleafe, Whyteleafe South, Winchmore Hill, Wivelsfield, Woldingham, Woodmansterne, and Worthing
Southeastern ticket office closures
Ticket offices at medium and larger sized stations will close.
The same for smaller stations, where the only staff currently on the station is the person in the ticket office.
Great Western Railway ticket office closures
No closures but reduced opening hours at some stations.
Hull Trains ticket office closures
Unaffected
References
- ^ Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Hinckley Rail Station (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Up to 1,000 ticket offices could close nationally, (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ East Midlands Railways (EMR) (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Worried passengers protest outside railway station over potential ticket office closure (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ politicians (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Narborough Railway Station (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ in support of campaigners at a protest outside the station this week (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Jac Starr, CEO of the Rail Delivery Group, (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)