Commuters and rail users at Stourbridge speak out about ticket …

Doug Dando

The leaflet campaign followed a public meeting at The Seven Stars Oldswinford, opposite the junction, where over 40 people gathered to discuss plans which could see both stations lose their ticket offices.

Industry body the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) unveiled proposals last week which could lead to nearly all offices in England being shut, with facilities only remaining open at the busiest stations.

It said moving ticket office staff on to station platforms and concourses would “modernise customer service”.

All ticket offices in the West Midlands region are thought to be under threat.

Further protests are planned tomorrow (Friday) outside Birmingham Snow Hill and New Street stations, and next week at Stafford, Sandwell and Dudley, Birmingham Moor Street and Stourbridge again.

Doug Dando, from Amblecote is retired and uses the railway to get to medical appointments, and for days out with his wife including some long distance travel. He was at the meeting last night and was at the station today

He said: “This is a community resource they are planning to close – here you can get information you can’t get online. We are online but prefer to use the resource at the station which not only provides resources and information but provides safety for people who use the station when it is open.

“The ticket machines will provide half a service and they are trying to maximise profits at the expense of the public and of course the staff – they won’t reduce the ticket prices but they will the service the paying public receive.

“We will lose out and get a poorer service – all it will do is put more people on the road.”

Michael Ramsey, a rail worker who uses Stourbridge Junction to get into Birmingham says he saw someone who had tried to commit suicide on the station late at night helped by staff.

He said: “I go to Birmingham all the time and appreciate the service we get from station staff, it’s not just buying tickets off them, as I say they are there in emergencies or times of need for people.”

Wollaston and Stourbridge Town councillor Cat Eccles was handing out leaflets and echoed what Mr Ramsey said.

She said: “There was an incident written on the Facebook group a few weeks ago where a young woman felt she was being followed and alerted station staff who intervened and helped her.

“This is a main through fare for Birmingham and is busy most times of the day. Under these proposals there is no telling when there would be staff available if at all – there is talk of having a roving person to provide help and information but no certainty of what hours that would be but most probably not after 6pm.”

There was no sign of George the station cat, who has become the focus of a campaign to try and save the staffed ticket office at Stourbridge Junction. But one member of staff, who didn’t want to be named said they had been ‘kept in the dark’ about the proposals.

He said: “We haven’t heard much at all just to say our jobs are out to consultation – we hope to hear more by the end of the month but it would be a shame if the station was effectively unmanned and the others on the network as I think humans provide a valuable service.”

Martin Roberts, aged 45, from Stourbridge said he was young enough to access the internet and technology but preferred to use the ticket office.

He said: “Last year I brought some train tickets and they told me for free about a ticket I could buy for £30 which would save me money on frequent travel. I have just booked my tickets for my holiday in August in Rhyl and the guy from the ticket office pointed me in the right direction for which trains to catch without having to get three or four trains. “I also use the train regularly to get back from Rowley Regis and Old Hill, wherever I am working and it is good to see staff on the station – I would say the ticket offices are invaluable.”

West Midlands Railway says it would retain six hub stations across the network – Birmingham Snow Hill, Sutton Coldfield, University, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Worcester Foregate Street under the proposals. These would see staff on hand on platforms and concourses to help with journey planning, finding the right ticket and supporting passengers with accessibility needs.