The West of England Metro Mayor has urged a government minister to be “flexible and pragmatic” over recently announced plans to close rail ticket offices across the region.
The West of England Mayor, Dan Norris | Photo © WECA
During a meeting with Huw Merriman, the Government Minister for Transport with responsibility for railways, Dan Norris explained how residents had contacted him with concerns over the plans.
A consultation has been launched into ticket office closures, which would affect Bath Spa, Oldfield Park, Keynsham, Bristol Temple Meads, Filton Abbey Wood, Bristol Parkway and Yate, where an estimated 600,000 paper tickets were sold last year.
The Metro Mayor says the new plans will make life hard for everyone, especially those without smartphones as well as disabled locals.
In a “frank” and “candid” discussion, he asked the minister to show more flexibility.
The Mayor who is encouraging everyone to get involved in the consultation, suggested to the minister that railway workers should be allowed to continue to sell tickets from a ticket office where appropriate, such as when there is a queue for a ticket machine.
He said: “I told the minister just how concerned I am at the apparent railroading through of these proposals.
“Many people in the West of England value the advice provided by staff in ticket offices. After all, it’s not always simple knowing what’s best value – or the difference between peak and off peak times, or why an advance single or a super off peak may be the way to go for a particular journey. Tickets are tricky!
“I told the minister it makes much more sense for the railway worker to use their discretion and sell tickets to passengers who would find that helpful.
“Maybe because they find it challenging to buy a ticket from a machine, or if there are issues with the ticket machines, or simply because there is a queue.
“We need to do everything we can to encourage people onto our railways. Not put up barriers. That’s vital if we are going to try to meet our ambitious net-zero targets.”
Local disability groups have also raised concerns about the plan. Research by the Royal National Institute of Blind People has found that only 3% of people with sight loss said they could use a ticket vending machine without problems and 58% said it was impossible.
