UPDATE: The consultation period for people to comment on the proposed closure of station ticket offices has been extended until Friday, September 1.
There has been much publicity about the proposed closure of station Ticket Offices in England, a decision we regard as significantly reducing customer service, in particular affecting those who need advice or do not have a smart phone or bank cards, as it appears that in future all ticket sales will be either online or at station Ticket Vending Machines.
This will especially affect passengers who use Worcestershire Parkway station, where five times more tickets are sold at the ticket office as at the Ticket Vending Machines.
It very important that every rail user on the Cotswold & Malvern Line responds to the consultation.
So here is some advice on the most effective way that you can voice your concerns.
Transport Focus has the regulatory role of examining every individual ticket office closure and has issued guidance and criteria on how they will assess responses to the official consultation:-
- Can Passengers easily buy the right ticket for the journey they want to make. Including access for people who need to use cash or do not have a smartphone.
- Do Passengers requiring assistance to travel receive that assistance in a timely and reliable manner. This will include arrangements for providing booked and ‘turn-up-and-go’ assistance and the support available for buying a ticket.
- Can Passengers get the information they require to plan and make a journey, including during periods of disruption, including support to help passengers who need assistance.
- Do Passengers feel safe at a station.
- Passengers are not penalised if they cannot buy the ticket they require from the station.
- Passengers can continue to use facilities at a station, such as waiting rooms, toilets, lifts and car parking. WMR proposal is mobile teams without fixed staffing hours, so who is going to open toilets and waiting rooms? GWR are retaining current staffing hours see https://ww
We recommend that you use these criteria to complete the Transport Focus consultation form about your local station or the station(s) you use most. The consultation form can be found at https://www.transportfocus.org.uk/ticket-office-consultation/
Alternatively, you can email your response to TicketOffice.GWR@transportfocus.org.uk
Picture: GWR