West Midlands Railway plans to close majority of 122 ticket offices …
Here is the full list of train ticket offices that West Midlands Railway is set to scrap
West Midlands Railway[1] plans to scrap most of its 122 of its ticket offices ‘to bring employees out from behind office windows and closer to customers’.
The proposals come as bosses outline how just 12 percent of tickets are sold at ticket offices compared to 82 percent in the 1990s. The company joins other rail operators[2] who are set to close ticket offices, with around 1,000 earmarked to close, prompting outrage from the RMT union[3] – which says the announcements are being made amid statutory redundancy notices for hundreds of railway workers.
In a statement, a spokesman for West Midlands Railway said: “In response to these changing customer habits, alongside other train operators, we are proposing to bring employees out from behind ticket office windows to be closer to customers, providing an enhanced customer service role and greater visibility of staff on concourses and platforms.
“Under these plans ticket offices in their current form would close over the next three years, but we would retain hub stations across the network to facilitate the evolution of retail and the multi-skilling of staff to be available where customers most need them – on platforms and concourses to help with journey planning, finding the right ticket and supporting passengers with accessibility needs.
“Mobile teams would move between stations and would be deployed to offer extra help where needed. Ticket vending machines will be upgraded to make sure customers can still buy the most popular tickets at stations and many staff will have hand-held devices. New customer ‘help’ points would also be introduced at stations as part of the proposals.
“West Midlands Railway recognise the need to safeguard the interests of passengers and other operators; and continue to promote the use of the national rail network.” Rail commuters have until Wednesday, July 26 to comment on plans to axe ticket offices. You can email [email protected][4]
BirminghamWorld has asked WMR if any rail worker are at risk of redundancy due to the plans. A spokesperson said: “At this stage the proposals are just that – proposals – and a consultation is ongoing, so we are not able to give a figure on possible headcount reduction. If the proposals go ahead our intention is that every staff member who wants to will have the opportunity to retrain to perform the new role.”
General Secretary Mick Lynch said: “The decision to close up to 1,000 ticket offices and to issue hundreds of redundancy notices to staff is a savage attack on railway workers, their families and the travelling public.
“Travellers will be forced to rely on apps and remote mobile teams to be available to assist them rather than having trained staff on stations. This is catastrophic for elderly, disabled and vulnerable passengers trying to access the rail network.
“The arrangements for ticket office opening hours, set out in Schedule 17 of the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement, are the only statutory regulation of station staffing. It is crystal clear that the government and train companies want to tear up this agreement and pave the way for a massive de-staffing of the rail network.
“Some of the train operators issuing our members with statutory redundancy notices today are cutting two thirds of their workforce. It is clear that the whole enterprise of closing ticket offices has got nothing to do with modernisation and is a thinly veiled plan to gut our railways of station staff.
“Fat cat rail operators and the government do not care one jot about passenger safety, or a well-staffed and friendly railway open to all to use. They want to cut costs, make profits for shareholders, and run the network into the ground without a thought as to the vital role the rail industry plays in the country’s economy.
“RMT is mounting a strong industrial, and political campaign to resist ticket office closures and station staff cuts. And we will continue our fight on July 20, 22 and 29 when 20,000 railway workers on the train operators go on strike.” Here’s a full list of West Midlands Railway stations, below:
West Midlands Railways (Photo – Wendy – stock.adobe.com)
Acocks Green
Adderley Park
Albrighton
Alvechurch
Barnt Green
Bescot Stadium
Birmingham International
Birmingham Moor St
Birmingham New Street
Birmingham Snow Hill
Blake Street
Bloxwich North
Bournville
Bromsgrove
Butlers Lane
Chester Road
Coventry Arena
Cradley Heath
Droitwich Spa
Dudley Port
Gravelly Hill
Great Malvern
Hall Green
Hampton-in-Arden
Hartlebury
Hednesford
Henley in Arden
Jewellery Quarter
Kenilworth
Kidderminster
Kings Norton
Langley Green
Leamington Spa
Lichfield City
Lichfield Trent Valley
Longbridge
Malvern Link
Marston Green
Northfield
Oakengates
Perry Barr
Rowley Regis
Rugeley Town
Rugeley Trent Valley
Sandwell & Dudley
Shrewsbury
Small Heath
Smethwick Galton Bridge
Smethwick Rolfe Street
Spring Road
Stourbridge Junction
Stourbridge Town
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway
Sutton Coldfield
Tame Bridge Parkway
Telford Central
The Hawthorns
University
Warwick Parkway
Wellington
Whitlocks End
Widney Manor
Wolverhampton
Wootton Wawen
Worcester Foregate Street
Worcester Shrub Hill
Wylde Green
Yardley Wood
References
- ^ West Midlands Railway (www.westmidlandsrailway.co.uk)
- ^ Are there Birmingham & West Midlands train strikes in July? Dates of next RMT walkouts (www.birminghamworld.uk)
- ^ RMT union (www.rmt.org.uk)
- ^ [email protected] (www.birminghamworld.uk)