MP urges train operators to keep ticket offices open as Rail Union raise safety fears over closures

WARRINGTON South MP Andy Carter says not maintaining an identifiable location to get advice and pay for travel will make travelling on trains more difficult for some local residents if ticket offices are closed.

Responding to the national consultation over plans to close hundreds of ticket windows and offices, Mr Carter said: “I don’t support these proposals, 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 something all users value.

“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.
Mr Carter added: “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.”

Meanwhile, TSSA rail union has today raised serious safety concerns for staff if the Westminster government proceed with plans to close most ticket offices in England.
The union’s intervention follows reports of an attempted assault at London’s Maze Hill station on 24 August in which an intoxicated male attempted to spit at ticket office staff.
The incident report states that ‘the male proceeded to stare at the female member of staff and when asked to stop he began spitting on the ticket office window. The staff member backed away from the window at which point the male began verbally abusing them and passing passengers’.
The incident is a worrying echo of the attack on Belly Mujinga, a TSSA member who worked at Victoria station in central London and was one of the first front-line workers to die of coronavirus.
Belly reported being coughed and spat at by a member of the public on the concourse at Victoria station and was frightened that this was how she contracted the deadly virus. Belly had underlying health problems and sadly died on 5 April 2020 at Barnet hospital. She was 47 years old and left behind her young daughter, Ingrid, and devoted husband, Lusamba.
Commenting, TSSA President Melissa Heywood, said: “We will not accept a situation in which our members are put at risk because of the Conservative government’s cost-cutting measures.
“It is clear from the incidents of abuse against station staff that have been reported to us that ticket offices help make our members safer. We cannot allow what happened to Belly Mujinga to happen again, and closing ticket offices increases the likelihood of station staff facing similar incidents of abuse.
“I am concerned about reports of abuse taking place at Maze Hill station, I dread to think what would have happened had the staff not been behind a window. Ticket offices have a role to play in protecting station staff, particularly those who are vulnerable or working alone.
“This is yet another reason why the public must take part in the government’s consultation before it closes on Friday and make it clear that ticket offices must remain open”.

The consultation closes this 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 TicketOffice.Avanti@transportfocus.org.uk, 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