Responding to a national consultation over plans to close hundreds of ticket windows and offices, Andy Carter MP says not maintaining an identifiable location to get advice and pay for travel will make travelling on the train more difficult for some local residents.
Andy Carter MP said: “I don’t support these proposal, I think having a staffed ticket office at a mainline station like Warrington Bank Quay, where you can not only buy tickets from a real person - but can also get advice and assistance on connections and the lowest priced fare is important.”
“Figures produced arguing in favour of the closure show “only 12% of tickets were sold at ticket offices, in 2022/23”. However, for a moment consider that there were 1.5 billion passenger journeys over that period, which equates to around 180 million journeys being purchased through a ticket office, you start to see that lots of people still do use ticket offices. These numbers don’t include people who go to the ticket clerk for advice on future travel, a rail card for discounts or the best route and connections to take, even when they’re buying their ticket through a machine on the concourse or online.”
Different rail operators are taking different approaches with Northern Rail keeping a ticket office at Warrington Central while Avanti are closing theirs at Warrington Bank Quay.
“Many elderly constituents who have been in touch with me aren’t frequent internet users and already feel isolated with so much of daily life online. I’ve also heard from disabled travellers who know where to go for assistance when using the train, if there’s no ticket office will there be a buzzer to call a staff member?”
Even at Warrington Central station there’s a reduction in when staff will be present. The consultation doesn’t explain why different stations and train operators are taking a different approach for travellers.”The consultation closes on Friday 1st September and residents are urged to respond. To have your say on the proposals for all stations where Avanti West Coast currently operate the ticket office, please contact Transport Focus, the independent transport user watchdog. Be sure to include the name of the station you’re commenting on.
Email [email protected], write to them at Freepost: RTEH-XAGE-BYKZ, Transport Focus, PO Box 5594, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 9PZ or, for more information about how to have your say, visit www.transportfocus.org.uk.
