TSSA slams PM for failing public over ticket office closures

TSSA rail union today called out Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for his comments defending the mass closure of railway ticket offices, despite hundreds of thousands of people showing they were against the plans. 

The PM was questioned on the closures during his trip to India, claiming them to be “the right thing for the British public.”

However, the remarks came just days after an online petition calling for ticket offices to stay open passed the 100,000 signatures needed for the topic to be considered for debate in Parliament. Meanwhile nearly 700,000 people responded to a consultation on the proposed changes, citing concerns around accessibility, safety and security and staffing under the new system. 

Commenting, TSSA Interim General Secretary Peter Pendle said, “I warned Mr Sunak’s Government last week that continuing with these plans would be a shocking failure to read the room.

“I’m appalled to see that the Conservative Government continues to stick its fingers in its ears while rail passengers cry out for our railways to be made more affordable and accessible. 

“Mr Sunak would do well to sit up and listen to what the public is telling him, unless he wants to make a mockery of the entire consultation process.”