Leicestershire railway stations set to have ticket offices shut
Multiple railway stations in and around Leicestershire are set to have their ticket offices closed, meaning people will be forced to use apps or self-service machines to buy tickets. A plan was unveiled earlier this week by the government to bring forward a proposal from the Rail Delivery Group, a body which represents private railway operators, to close up to 1,000 offices nationally.
Hinckley, Loughborough, Market Harborough, Melton and Narborough all feature on the list of potential ticket office closures. In addition East Midlands Parkway near the Leicestershire-Nottinghamshire border, Oakham in Rutland, and popular day-trip destination Skegness are named.
East Midlands Railways (EMR), which runs trains on the Midland Main Line between London, Leicester and the north, has since launched a three-week public consultation on the proposal. EMR said that on average, “less than five per cent of all tickets sold for its trains are bought at ticket offices”, as people instead opted to use self-service machines or purchase them online. This figure was more than 80 per cent in the mid 1990s, according to the train company.[1][2]
The proposal to close ticket offices has been met with a lot of criticism nationally. Mick Lynch, general secretary of the RMT union, said it would be “catastrophic for the elderly, disabled and vulnerable passengers”[4].
Staff at the affected stations would move into “customer help roles” on station platforms and concourses, according to EMR. The company said the move would offer[5] “more face-to-face support” across the network.
Steve Jones, chairman of Harborough Rail Users group,[6] said the organisation recognised that the “retail world is changing toward a cashless society”, but that the proposal was “worrying” and a “sweeping change” that might have wider impacts on the rail service. He said: “It is obviously a cost-cutting method, and what we are concerned about is the implications of closing the office.
“A lot of people, particularly in a place like Market Harborough, are elderly and they are the sort of people that struggle with online purchasing and using mobile phone apps. A lot of the self-service machines do not take cash, for understandable reasons, but not all people use their bank accounts to pay for things.
“The fare structure of the British railway system[7] is also so complicated, and talking to people at the ticket office helps manoeuvre this, to make sure you get the right ticket, the best value one, getting the ticket that is actually valid for that train on that day. People want to talk to people. And not all the self-service machines offer the full range.” Mr Jones added that the railway “should be there for everybody”.
Jac Starr, CEO of the Rail Delivery Group,[8] said: “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.”
The three-week consultation into the proposed closures is live now. It closes on Wednesday, July 26. People can submit feedback by emailing their views to [email protected].
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
- ^ East Midlands Railways (EMR), (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ to the train company. (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Vow to save Leicester GP surgery hit by ‘waterfall’ flash flooding (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ “catastrophic for the elderly, disabled and vulnerable passengers” (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ The company said the move would offer (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Harborough Rail Users group, (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ of the British railway system (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Jac Starr, CEO of the Rail Delivery Group, (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)