One in four train ticket offices ‘face axe’

A “hit list” of 675 stations which could be left unstaffed includes several in Yorkshire – one of which is currently undergoing a multi-million pound redevelopment.

Rotherham Central’s refurbishment includes a new ticket office and its inclusion in a report identifying potential savings in the rail industry was described as “absurd” by Rotherham Labour MP Denis MacShane.

Other ticket offices recommended for closure include Beverley, Garforth, Goole, Hebden Bridge, Malton, Menston, New Pudsey, Selby, Swinton and Thirsk.

The list of proposed closures was spotted by the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) in the full version of a report drawn up by Sir Roy McNulty, which was not included in the executive summary.The ticket offices targeted for potential culling are at stations serving fewer than 250,000 passengers a year, with ticket machines proposed as replacements.

TSSA leader Gerry Doherty called on Transport Secretary Philip Hammond to reject the cutbacks, warning that passengers, especially women, will feel less safe travelling, and will find it more difficult to buy tickets.

Mr Doherty said: “This is a double whammy for millions of passengers. Last month they were told that fares will rise by 25 per cent over the next three years, and they are now set to lose one in four ticket offices.

“Not only are unmanned stations less secure, tickets bought from machines are usually more expensive. Philip Hammond should come to the Dispatch Box in the next few days and give a clear undertaking that he is going to ditch these draconian cuts in services to passengers.

The union is launching an “SOS – Save our Station ticket offices” campaign and urging MPs to save ticket offices in their constituencies.

Denis MacShane said: “This is utterly unacceptable. It’s economic insanity to spend a lot of money modernising the station and then send a signal to the people of Rotherham that it will not be safe or easy to use.”

South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE), which helped fund the station’s redevelopment, said it would challenge the recommendation.

Ben Still, SYPTE Director of Strategy, said: “Whilst this recommendation has not yet been accepted by the Government it is our view that Rotherham Station does not fall into this category. More than half a million passenger journeys are made from Rotherham Station a year and it is currently undergoing major refurbishment. We will be recommending that it should remain as a staffed station.”

Many of the ticket offices earmarked for potential closure in the Yorkshire region at a stations run by Northern Rail. The company did not comment on specific stations but a spokeswoman said: “We have no immediate plans to close any ticket offices, however we recognise that passengers have differing preferences for how they buy their tickets. Over recent years we’ve improved our ticket offices and installed more ticket vending machines as well as launching our online ticket sales facility. We will continue to enhance our retail options for customers, acknowledging that it is not ‘one size fits all’.”

The Government is expected to respond fully next month to the report, which said the railway industry could make savings of £1bn a year.