01 August 2023 , 15:50
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Older people will face unfair discrimination if hundreds of railway station ticket offices are closed, a pensioners’ leader warned tonight
Transport bosses plan to axe ticket counters at 974 stations in a cost-cutting bid. Critics fear OAPs, the vulnerable and disabled will be among the hardest hit if the closures go ahead because they rely more on personal service rather than booking tickets online, through smartphone apps or using station machines.
The Mirror, campaigners and unions are fighting the move and a consultation on the proposals has been extended until September 1. National Pensioners’ Convention general secretary Jan Shortt fumed that previous reforms had failed to result “in any improvement for passengers”, adding: “This latest proposal is the final nail in the coffin.”
She warned: “Ticket machines do not have the full range of tickets and cannot give alternatives in the same way as staff in ticket offices can assist passengers. Those without the ability to go online or have a smartphone app are going to be excluded from accessing ticket purchases that suit their journey. Disabled, older and vulnerable people will not be able to access travel in a manner that suits their needs. This is discrimination.”
National Pensioners' Convention general secretary Jan ShorttThe NPC has joined forces with the Transport Salaried Staffs Association to battle the plan. The union’s interim general secretary Peter Pendle said: “The closure of ticket offices affects everyone, but particularly vulnerable passengers and those with disabilities and additional needs. Losing ticket offices would make our railways less accessible for many older passengers.
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“Ticket machines are inconsistent, which can cause difficulties for those who are not technologically savvy. Other machines do not accept cash, which is an obstacle to many people. Older passengers already face significant barriers to travelling by rail and the Government’s proposals will make this situation much worse.”
The scheme to slash the number of open ticket counters came after Transport Secretary Mark Harper urged operators to cut costs following the coronavirus pandemic, when passengers deserted the railway. But it has been blasted by disability groups, Greater Manchester Metro Mayor Andy Burnham and record-breaking Paralympian Tanni Grey-Thompson.
Train operators claim ticket offices are no longer needed as most passengers buy online or at station machines and staff will be moved to help on station concourses.
Rail Delivery Group chief executive Jacqueline Starr has defended the proposals, saying they are designed to get station officials out from behind counters and more available to passengers on platforms. She said: “While local plans vary, the aim of the proposals is to bring staff out from behind ticket office windows to offer more help for customers buying tickets and navigating stations."
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