460,000 responses show public firmly against ticket office closures

TSSA today demanded Transport Secretary Mark Harper shelve closure plans for ticket offices in England after Transport Focus announced more than 460,000 people have responded to their consultation.

Independent travel watchdogs Transport Focus and London TravelWatch are running a statutory consultation on plans to close most ticket offices in England as well as Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The plans have been widely criticized by disability and pensioner groups, as well as rail unions and passenger interest groups.

TSSA members and activists are engaging with rail users at stations across the country and have received an overwhelmingly positive response from passengers who want their ticket offices to remain open.

TSSA President, Melissa Heywood said, “Four hundred and sixty thousand is an unprecedented turnout, which shows that the public are firmly against the government’s plans.

“Mark Harper needs to read the room. His cruel and unnecessary plans are being voted down. He should scrap the idea right now.

“The consultation is open till the first of September. We urge anyone who has not yet done so to take part and make it clear that the proposals to close ticket offices are unacceptable.”