PLANS to close most of the country’s railway ticket offices have been scrapped, following a recent government announcement.
Ticket offices were due to close, as the train companies said that only 12% of tickets were now bought at station kiosks.
However, a public consultation by Transport Focus and London Travelwatch received 75,000 responses, with many people and organisations sharing concerns about the impact the change would have for residents, particularly older residents and those who need support using technology.
Acting chair of the Melksham Transport User Group, Graham Ellis, welcomes the news and the benefits this will have for local people travelling on the railways; however, he says improvements to the way ticket offices operate still need to be made in order to make it easier for everyone.
“The whole system works for regular travellers who know what they’re doing but it needs revision to make it easier for everyone else. The proposed changes [to close the ticket offices] though, were not the right solution. For passengers in Melksham, if they can’t get what they want from the ticket machine, ask the train manager when on the train and they will sell you what you need.”
Melksham Without Parish Council (MWPC) were one of the organisations to submit comments against the closure of ticket offices, in order to support local residents.
“We are really pleased to hear this news,” says chair of MWPC, cllr John Glover. “Everyone should be able to access the right ticket for the right train at the right price and not just the smartphone generation.
“Having someone at stations to ensure that passengers can buy the most cost-effective ticket and have real time advice on hand is important. We were just one of 75,000 responses to the government consultation and are delighted that the voice of the community was heard on this occasion.”