TICKET offices at Bromsgrove, Northfield and Longbridge railway stations are all set to close under new West Midlands Railway (WMR) proposals.
The railway operators are considering closing all staffed ticket offices across their network – excluding ‘hub’ stations – as part of government plans to ‘modernise’ ticket sales.
Under the proposals, open for consultation until July 26, all currently operating ticket offices will be totally replaced by automated ticket machines and new ‘mobile teams’ which will operate on a ‘flexible basis’ at railway stations.
WMR say the proposals will reflect the biggest change to customer retailing since the 1990s, when 82 per cent of all tickets were sold at ticket offices, compared to just 12 per cent today.
The new mobile teams are intended to provide customer service, passenger assistance, safety and general upkeep duties however unions representing rail workers fear the proposals will lead to the de-staffing of stations.
The closures are being put forward by all of the government’s Department for Transport managed train companies meaning the proposals will affect rail users nationwide.
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers is opposing the new plans and has urged train users to respond to the consultations and ‘save ticket offices’.
The RMT believes the closures will ‘restrict passengers’ access to the best value tickets, worsen passenger service, accessibility, safety and security’.
‘Hub’ stations will be spread across the network at particularly busy locations for example Worcester Foregate Street and Birmingham Snow Hill, where staff will be available throughout the week to assist with ticket purchases, customer service duties, passenger assistance, safety and general upkeep.
Hub stations can be anywhere up to an hour apart.
Email: [email protected] to comment on the proposals by July 26, 2023.
Visit: https://www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/cut-their-profits-not-our-ticket-offices to sign the RMT’s petition against the proposals.
