Last Updated on 03/11/2023 by Emma Purcell
Disabled passengers and disability organisations have reacted angrily to the plans of closing all ticket offices at train stations across England, which could impact disabled people’s ability to buy train tickets and travel independently.
UPDATE 31/10/2023 – The UK Government has scrapped the proposed plans to close all train ticket offices in England.
The proposals were unveiled by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) on Wednesday 5th July 2023 as part of significant changes to the rail network.
The rail industry says bringing customer service roles up to date is long overdue, following a collapse in the number of people using ticket offices.
Train companies have launched a passenger consultation on the plans to modernise customer service.
Proposals to close ticket offices at train stations
The planned changes by RDG will be to move staff from ticket offices and into stations, offering more face-to-face support for customers across the network as a whole.
Where adopted, the proposals will see ticket office staff transitioning to multi-skilled ‘customer help’ roles – already in place in many parts of the network – where they would be better able to give advice about the best and cheapest fares, advise on journey planning and support customers with accessibility needs.
The changes would mean a more visible and accessible staff presence across the network as a whole at stations during staffed hours, on ticket concourses and platforms.
The proposals would help bring station retailing up to date from the mid-90s when the rules on how to sell tickets were set and before the invention of the smartphone. Back then, 82% of all tickets were sold at ticket offices, compared to just 12% on average today, a downward trend which accelerated during the pandemic.
Bringing staff out from offices would allow the railway to respond to that generational shift in customer behaviour, in common with many other industries and organisations that have long since done so such as Transport for London, most airlines and many banks and supermarkets.
The plans could see the closure of several ticket offices across the network as staff move out from behind the glass. It is being launched against the backdrop of long-running industrial action by rail unions RMT and ASLEF over changes necessary to bring the railway up to date and make it sustainable in the long term, with revenue continuing to languish at 30% below pre-pandemic levels.
As RMT talks stalled due to their refusal to put a pay and jobs guarantee offer to its membership, train companies must now move ahead with essential reforms to bring the industry in line with modern retailing, while maintaining valuable staff contact for customers.
Companies are committed to smoothing the transition of moving staff closer to customers, and the proposed changes would be phased in gradually. An estimated 99% of all transactions made at ticket offices last year can be made at Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) or online and where needed, TVMs across the network will be improved and upgraded. Ticket office facilities will remain open at the busiest stations and interchanges, selling the full range of tickets while the transition takes place.
Following these changes, if a customer is unable to buy a specific ticket before boarding the train because it was unavailable at the station, they would be able to buy one during their journey, at a ticket office en route, or at their destination.
Alongside the public consultation on ticket offices, a range of options will be created for staff affected, including moving to a new skilled role and comprehensive re-training and re-skilling. Train companies will continue to engage constructively with unions at a local level to manage the transition in a way that works best for staff.
Following extensive and ongoing engagement with accessibility, safety and passenger groups, rail companies are also unveiling a series of pledges for rail passengers about the proposals.
They are:
- Across the network as a whole, there will be more staff available to give face-to-face help to customers out in stations than there are today
- Customers will never have to travel out of their way to buy tickets
- Those with accessibility needs will always be supported
- All rail staff will be treated fairly and their new roles will be more engaging
Stations without ticket offices already make up 43% of those operating across the UK, with a further 40% being staffed part-time.
The reforms will not affect train companies’ ability to assist those needing wheelchair access and mobility support from staff, either on demand at the station or by booking in advance. New mobile assistance teams will be created to offer extra help where needed, including for stations which are currently unstaffed.
Reactions from the disability community
Despite the RDG’s saying that disabled passengers will continue to be supported, individuals and campaign groups still have concerns about how this will impact disabled people when travelling by train.
Many people who have a physical, sensory or cognitive impairment may find it difficult or even impossible to book tickets on a smartphone or vending machine.
One disabled person’s opinion is that even if more staff will be available on ticket concourses and platforms, they’ll be scattered everywhere, making it difficult to find and approach the relevant person for the support we need. Having a designated ticket office or information desk is vital to all disabled and non-disabled passengers.
Blind and visually impaired people tend to use the ticket office as their first point of contact when requesting assistance and guide dogs are trained to identify and guide their owners to ticket offices.
Chief Social Change Officer at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), Vivienne Francis, said: “A mass closure of rail ticket offices would have a hugely detrimental impact on blind and partially sighted people’s ability to buy tickets, arrange assistance and, critically, travel independently.
RNIB research shows that only 3% of people with sight loss said they could use a ticket vending machine without problems and 58% said it was impossible.”
Louise Rubin, Head of Policy at disability equality charity Scope, said: “We’ve had little reassurance that these changes will make our rail network more accessible for disabled people.
We’re deeply concerned that they will result in more people being stranded without the support they need. It’s already far too difficult for disabled people to travel on public transport in this country. We continue to hear of disabled people being left on trains and stranded at stations.
She added: “One in four of us is disabled. It’s vital that Ministers are transparent with disabled people about their plans and disabled people are fully consulted and listened to.”
Rachael Mather, whose Mum is disabled, following a severe stroke five years ago, told us: “She uses a wheelchair and has cognitive impairment. She can’t manage a smartphone or use a computer, she relies on a ticket office being staffed.
This proposal to close thousands of ticket offices on the train network will adversely impact disabled people like my Mum. She has paid into the system all her working life. She was a teacher and would never have dreamt these wicked proposals could even be contemplated.”
Rachael added: “Let’s face it, the faceless bureaucrats putting forward these proposals never use public transport services and are not disabled. They simply don’t care.”
Poppy Nel, who lives with multiple learning disabilities – autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia and dyscalculia – also shared her thoughts on the ticket office closures:
“Because I suffer with dyscalculia, (which is a disability where I struggle with maths) it will make things extremely difficult to take a train to the places I need to be and to buy a ticket.
I strongly disagree with the closure of the stands that sell train tickets, it will affect everyone who suffers from a disability in whatever form it is in.”
Paul Gillet, a man with a visual impairment, revealed how he has already submitted his thoughts to the public consultation:
“The document is far from clear how this will work in real life and we only have three weeks to take part in the consultation. I have just sent an initial response and will do a further one later if necessary.”
He mentioned several points to consider including:
- Access to discounted fares
- Finding roving staff if they are not at a set place
- Need time to train people for using online or at station where people may have basic skills. Who will do this trading/support?
- Accessibility online and at stations. Flat screens, speech.
- What about those who are not tech-savvy?
He added: “Done well and with availability backup, it might work but we can not know at this stage and they need to agree to work locally and nationally with VI and other charities for disabled and older people.”
Have your say on the ticket office closures at train stations
Passengers are asked for their views on the proposed closure of the majority of ticket offices in England.
As part of the public consultation, independent watchdog, Transport Focus, wants to hear from passengers. It will use these comments to respond to the proposals.
Transport Focus encourages passengers to look at train operator proposals to change ticket offices and how it sells tickets at stations.
Transport Focus will look into whether the changes will impact the ability to buy a ticket or other rail products, the level of staff presence at stations and operators’ ability to deliver services for disabled passengers.
Anthony Smith, Chief Executive of the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said:
“It’s important for people to have their say. We urge passengers to look at the proposals and tell us what the ticket office changes might mean for them. Transport Focus will make sure passengers’ views are heard.”
It is a regulatory requirement as part of this process that Transport Focus and passengers are consulted. Transport Focus will review the impact of the proposed changes and passenger comments received before responding to train operator proposals.
For more information on how to respond to the consultation, go to transportfocus.org.uk/ticketoffices.
For ticket offices in and around London, passengers should contact London TravelWatch.
Passengers with comments about any of the changes should get in touch by Friday 1st September 2023.
What are your thoughts on the plans to close all ticket offices at train stations? Will this impact your ability to travel as a disabled passenger? As well as participating in the public consultation, let us know in the comments box or on social media.
