Deadline looms for railway ticket office closure consultation …
Rail users are being encouraged to submit feedback on the controversial closure of hundreds of railway ticket offices as the deadline looms. More than 460,00 people have already responded to the consultation on the government plan to close the vast majority of railway ticket offices[1] across the country.
The figure comes from watchdogs LondonTravelWatch and Transport Focus, who are encouraging people to submit their feedback by the deadline of Friday, September 1. This was extended from the original deadline that was set for mid-July.
The proposal to close the offices has come from the Rail Delivery Group, a body which represents private railway operators. If approved, Hinckley, Loughborough, Market Harborough,[2] Melton and Narborough will all lose their railway ticket offices - as well as East Midlands Parkway, Oakham and Skegness.
Many local residents alongside major players in Leicestershire politics have criticised the government plan. Leicester city mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby, who also sits as chair for transport in the East Midlands, opposed the plan and said will particularly affect vulnerable people[4].
John Rickerby, 81, from Littlethorpe and his wife Jean, 79 told LeicestershireLive[5] in July they use the Narborough station ticket office every week when taking a trip to Leicester. Both are worried about its potential closure.
Mr Rickerby, who uses a wheelchair, said: "There are hardly any buses that go into Leicester. I think there is one a day and if someone else is using the wheelchair space you can't really get on the bus.
"I can't use apps, my fingers aren't very good and it makes me sad I would be forced to use them. The government doesn't want to know. No one cares about you when you get past 80, we aren't important anymore."
John Rickerby, 81, from Littlethorpe
Local rail provider East Midlands Railway said when the plan was announced on on average less than five per cent of all tickets sold for its trains are bought at ticket offices. It said most passengers chose to use self-service machines or bought tickets online. This figure was more than 80 per cent in the mid 1990s, according to the train company[6] this week.
Jac Starr, CEO of the Rail Delivery Group,[7] said in July: "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.”
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
- ^ government plan to close the vast majority of railway ticket offices (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Market Harborough, (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Busy commuter road near A6 due to re-open this month now shut until November (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ will particularly affect vulnerable people (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ LeicestershireLive (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ to the train company (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Jac Starr, CEO of the Rail Delivery Group, (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)