‘This is not a minor change, it is a significant one, and the proposed changes need to be urgently U-turned.’
A publicly-owned rail company has faced a backlash over its plans to reduce ticket office hours. The Association of British Commuters (ABC), a passenger advocacy group, unveiled the changes in a report entitled: “Exposed: Secret Ticket Office Cuts at Southeastern.”
According to the ABC, a freedom of information request revealed that 14 stations are set to have their ticket office hours cut by half, resulting in a daily loss of 6 to 7 staffing hours for 5 to 7 days a week. The report informs how these cuts were approved by the Department for Transport (DfT) in January 2022 without any public consultation, and the details have only recently come to light.
The group warns that reducing ticket office hours will negatively impact disabled passengers, including limiting access to retail advice and affordable tickets and restricting essential services like toilets, waiting rooms and boarding assistance on driver-only trains.
The National Federation of the Blind of the UK (NFBUK), which were part of a successful four-month campaign in 2023 that forced the government to abandon plans it had supported to close almost 1,000 ticket offices, condemned the cuts. They described the plans as “unforgivable and absolutely disgusting,” noting how the cuts to opening hours were already being planned before last year’s announcement of mass closures by train companies.
An NFBUK spokesperson said: “This is not a minor change, it is a significant one, and the proposed changes need to be urgently U-turned.
“Ticket office staff are essential and there should be no reduction in staff hours at these stations.
“It is like our safety, our accessibility and our travel needs are once again being treated as dispensable.”
The NFBUK has called for urgent intervention from the government to stop the changes and investigate reports of unfilled staff positions at ticket offices.
In response to ABC’s report, Southeastern said that it is hiring around 100 additional ticket office staff this year and has already recruited 97, which will increase ticket office hours.
The Disability News Service reports that government has said it is examining Southeastern’s plans “to ensure passengers remain supported.”
To reach hundreds of thousands of new readers we need to grow our donor base substantially.
That’s why in 2024, we are seeking to generate 150 additional regular donors to support Left Foot Forward’s work.
We still need another 117 people to donate to hit the target. You can help. Donate today.
