Railway operators respond to fears over accessibility at stations
East Midlands Railway has reassured anxious travellers concerned about plans to close ticket offices in Lincolnshire[1]. The company has drawn up proposals to close the ticket offices and reduce staff at stations in Sleaford[2], Boston[3], Skegness[4], Stamford[5] and Spalding[6] in an effort to ‘modernise’ the industry.
With a public consultation running until September 1, the scheme would see the station[7] staffed by visiting ‘mobile colleagues’ one day a week, but there are concerns that older and disabled passengers could be left behind. In a letter to managing director Will Rogers, Sleaford MP Dr Caroline Johnson compiled a list of issues[8] that ranged from the safety of travellers to the cleanliness of the station.
She asked how services would remain open for older people who do not own smartphones or struggle online, and pointed out that there were no lifts to platforms two and three, which could cause issues for disabled people. In their response letter, which has been seen by Lincolnshire Live, a spokesperson for East Midlands Railway said that travellers could buy tickets from the guard during their journey if they were unable to do so before boarding.
Poll: What’s the worst road in Lincolnshire for traffic?[9]
They added: “Around 72 per cent of EMR stations currently operate without ticket offices, including Ancaster, Heckington, Hykeham, Metheringham, Rauceby, Ruskington and Swinderby in the Sleaford and North Hykeham constituency.” Customers can also use vending machines and kiosks within the station.
Additionally, ticket office staff do not provide help for disabled passengers as that is handled by their colleagues on board the vehicles or by frontline staff in large stations. The barrow crossing at Sleaford is the responsibility of Network Rail and will continue to be operated by its signaller as per the formal process, the spokesperson added.
Dr Johnson also demanded to know how EMR would prevent antisocial behaviour and, separately, keep vulnerable people safe. The spokesperson said the station is monitored by CCTV and the company contracts Carlisle Security, who can be deployed when required.
They said: “The presence of CCTV at stations reduces the level of criminal activities and makes customers feel safer. EMR can dial up the presence of Carlisle Security and travel safe officers to meet the needs of customers during events.
“The British Transport Police (BTP) provide patrols in various areas daily and have an easy-to-use text service where non-emergency incidents can be reported by texting 61016. The station will have staff at the locations twice a day to manage the opening and closing of station facilities, these staff will provide a visual check and report any issues.
“Mobile teams will be visiting stations and will provide support where it is needed. We also carry out regular Service Quality Regime Audits to ensure that our stations are free from vandalism, and work closely with local communities via our Community Rail team to tackle anti-social behaviour.”
In response to Dr Johnson’s concerns about how EMR would keep vulnerable people, such as children travelling alone, safe when it is dark, the spokesperson added: “We understand the importance of passenger safety and are committed to taking all necessary measures to ensure a secure environment.
“EMR work closely with the BTP and other key stakeholders to implement safety protocols to safeguard vulnerable individuals during their journeys. For further context, we note that the current ticket office hours at Sleaford station are from 7am until 1.30pm, Monday until Saturday, and it is closed on Sundays.”
A sign outside of Sleaford station says: “Proposed staffing hours: visited weekly by mobile colleagues. The nearest customer information centre to this station will be Lincoln / Nottingham.” EMR has also proposed changing the opening times of the ticket office in Lincoln.
Rather than being open between 5am and 7.30pm between Monday and Saturday, it would be open from 6am until 8.30pm.
On Sundays, it would be open between 7am and 8.30pm, instead of 10.30am until 9.30pm. Initially, the consultation period was only to run for 21 days until Wednesday, July 26. It was extended for five-and-a-half weeks, up until September 1, to ‘give everybody the opportunity to have their say’.
The full response from East Midlands Railway
Dr Johnson’s original questions are written below in italics, while EMR’s responses are in standard formatting.
1. My constituency, Sleaford and North Hykeham, has a significant aging population, some of whom are not comfortable or familiar with online platforms, and some of whom do not possess computers or smartphones. How does EMR plan to ensure that ticket services remain open to them?
If for any reason customers cannot buy a ticket before boarding the train, they will be able to buy one during their journey from the guard on board the train, this is a well-established arrangement. Around 72 per cent of EMR stations currently operate without ticket offices, including Ancaster, Heckington, Hykeham, Metheringham, Rauceby, Ruskington and Swinderby in the Sleaford and North Hykeham constituency. Customers also have access to other ticket purchasing options beyond personal digital solutions, including Ticket Vending Machines and Smart Kiosks within Railway stations.
2. How does EMR plan to address the needs of elderly and disabled travellers who may need physical help to access trains and platforms, especially considering Sleaford Station has no lifts to platforms 2 and 3?
We remain committed to support all our customers accessibility requirements. As part of our proposals, assisted travel will remain in line with our accessible travel policy commitment. Our teams within ticket offices do not provide passenger assistance duties, these are provided by colleagues on board the train – or in very large stations, by the front-line station teams.
All train services that call at EMR-managed stations will continue to have a guard on board who will be able to support customers to get on and off the train safely.
The barrow crossing at Sleaford is the responsibility of Network Rail and will continue to be operated by their signaller as per the formal process.
3. EMR’s proposal indicates that Sleaford Station will be staffed only one day a week by ‘mobile colleagues’, without specifying the day or operating hours. The existing ticket office is already staffed by one regular employee, whom I understand is of enormous help to travellers who find the ticket machine difficult to use, especially when seeking options other than a ticket for immediate travel to a local destination. Could you please provide clarification on how EMR intends to address these concerns and ensure adequate staffing and accessibility to ticket services?
As mentioned above, if for any reason customers cannot buy a ticket before boarding the train, they will be able to buy one during their journey from the guard on board the train. Where daily or weekly visits form part of our proposals, it is our intention that the days / times of these visits are to be formed by the outcome of the consultation.
4. Further to this, some of my constituents are concerned that certain ticket restrictions are often not adequately communicated by online ticket sellers, resulting in travellers unknowingly purchasing incorrect tickets and facing penalties. They argue that purchasing tickets from qualified ticket office clerks mitigates this issue. How does EMR intend to ensure clear communication of ticket restrictions?
Some tickets may require customers to travel at specific times of the day, days of the week or on a specific route. Online journey planners, ticket vending machines and smart kiosks take ticket restrictions into account with the selections made by passengers and will only show tickets that are valid for the selected trains. Furthermore, ticket restrictions are clearly listed on these platforms when purchasing. Ticket restrictions can also be discussed with EMR’s customer contact centre.
5. Several constituents have mentioned that navigating some ticket-selling websites can be difficult. How does EMR plan to address this?
Ticket-selling websites, such as the EMR website or the Trainline, aim to make the experience online as accessible as possible and the websites have been built with certain needs in mind. Such as being designed to be viewed on a wide range of screen resolutions, providing the ability to vary the text size, using text and background colour combinations that are sufficient in contrast, providing a page structure that is easy to navigate by using a clear and user-friendly menu that is visible on each page of the site, and ensuring that all forms and fields follow a logical sequence to ensure easy navigation.
Ticket-selling websites are continually assessed and reviewed to ensure the customer buying journey remains as straightforward as possible.
6. It is my understanding that ticket office staff possess the keys to the station’s toilet and waiting rooms. In the absence of available staff, how will these facilities be accessed?
As part of EMR’s proposals, all existing facilities at stations (such as toilets and waiting rooms) will remain open for the current hours, whether the station is permanently staffed or otherwise.
7. How often would Sleaford Station be cleaned as part of these new proposals?
There will be no change to the current cleaning provision at any station under these proposals – ticket office staff do not provide cleaning services, and this is provided by a third party contractor.
8. How does EMR intend to prevent unmanned stations from being vandalised and attracting anti-social behaviour?
As well as CCTV at Sleaford to monitor the location, EMR have a contract with Carlisle Security where several teams patrol areas of the network continually and can be deployed where required. The presence of CCTV at stations reduces the level of criminal activities and makes customers feel safer. EMR can dial up the presence of Carlisle Security and travel safe officers to meet the needs of customers during events.
The British Transport Police (BTP) provide patrols in various areas daily and have an easy-to-use text service where non-emergency incidents can be reported by texting 61016. The station will have staff at the locations twice a day to manage the opening and closing of station facilities, these staff will provide a visual check and report any issues. Mobile teams will be visiting stations and will provide support where it is needed.
We also carry out regular service quality regime audits to ensure that our stations are free from vandalism, and work closely with local communities via our community rail team to tackle anti-social behaviour.
9. On a related issue, how will EMR ensure the safety of vulnerable people, such as children travelling alone, particularly when it is dark, when Sleaford Station is unmanned?
We understand the importance of passenger safety and are committed to taking all necessary measures to ensure a secure environment. EMR work closely with the BTP and other key stakeholders to implement safety protocols to safeguard vulnerable individuals during their journeys.
For further context we note that the current ticket office hours at Sleaford station are from 0700 – 1330 Monday — Saturday and it is closed on a Sunday.
10. I am concerned by correspondence from constituents who have said that the information provided by electronic boards in the event of cancellations is often inadequate, and that station staff are vital for giving advice on alternative routes in these cases. How will EMR ensure that travellers—including those who are elderly and do not possess smartphones—are still able to access this information, and how will station announcements be made?
We understand the importance of customer information within our stations and as part of this process we have carried out equality impact assessments across the stations where we are proposing to make changes. Our final assessment and associated plan, including mitigating actions, will be informed by this public consultation.
EMR has published an overarching equality impact assessment. This document focuses on assessing and recording the potential impacts of an activity or policy on people with characteristics protected under the Equality Act 2010. This can be found on the dedicated EMR consultation webpage, under accessibility: https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/modernisation-consultation[10]
11. It is my understanding that lost property in Sleaford Station is currently managed by the member of staff there. How will the proposed changes affect this?
Our standard process for the management of lost property is via the staff on board our trains. For the limited hours that the Ticket Office is open at Sleaford, our member of staff plays a part in this wider process. However, this is not required for the longer-term management of lost property. Furthermore, our Station Service Technicians who regularly visit stations along the route will continue to play a role in managing lost property, as they do today when the station is not staffed.
12. On a more general note, many of my constituents have told me that they often rely on travel advice from station staff members. How are they to receive this advice if a staff member is not present?
Under these proposals, travel advice will still be available on board our services, in person at Lincoln or Grantham stations, at Sleaford station when the weekly visit is taking place, or at any time via the EMR customer contact centre.
13. Further, how will the proposals affect those paying for tickets with cash?
Ticket vending machines and on-board train colleagues will still be able to accept cash payments.
14. Finally, many of my constituents have expressed disappointment at the perceived lack of proper consultation with the public on these proposed closures. In particular, constituents are concerned that the 21-day period is not long enough for such a major change to their services. They have urged for a more comprehensive and inclusive consultation process rather than a brief exercise. Could you please explain the steps EMR has taken to involve the travelling public in the decision-making process, and if further consultation is planned?
This consultation forms part of a statutory consultation process, in line with the Ticketing & Settlement Agreement. The timescales for such public consultations are dictated as part of this process. Input from customers and independent watchdogs is important and will help shape final proposals.
Since receipt of your letter, it is prudent to note that following feedback and further industry discussions, the decision has been made to extend the consultation period by an additional five and a half weeks until Friday 1 September 2023.
This will allow independent passenger watchdogs Transport Focus and London TravelWatch more time to facilitate the consultation and will ensure that as an industry, we are giving everybody the opportunity to have their say.
References
- ^ Lincolnshire (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
- ^ Sleaford (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
- ^ Boston (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
- ^ Skegness (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
- ^ Stamford (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
- ^ Spalding (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
- ^ station (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
- ^ compiled a list of issues (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
- ^ What’s the worst road in Lincolnshire for traffic? (xd.wayin.com)
- ^ https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/modernisation-consultation (www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk)