North East council leaders condemn closure of ticket offices at …

Darlington Railway Station. Picture: Sarah Caldecott, Newsquest (Image: Sarah Caldecott, Newsquest)

North East council leaders have called for the plans to close ticket offices to be halted, saying that they will have a detrimental impact on passengers, particularly elderly people and those with disabilities.

They have also said the consultation process is unfair and have branded it as “opaque and complex.”

The Joint Transport Committee, which acts on behalf of councils across the North East (Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and County Durham), has responded to the formal consultation process citing numerous concerns around the impact on local passengers and rail usage, and the complex and confusing consultation.

At just 21 days, the committee said that the formal engagement period is ‘unduly short’ and this will impact the number of respondents, something it feels is unacceptable given the scale of the proposed closures and the impact on passengers including the elderly and people with disabilities.

The Northern Echo: Darlington Railway Station. Picture: Sarah Caldecott, Newsquest

Darlington Railway Station. Picture: Sarah Caldecott, Newsquest (Image: Sarah Caldecott, Newsquest)