Would you agree with your railway station ticket office being closed?

Trade unions and disability groups have criticised plans to close nearly all railway station ticket offices in England.

Industry body the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) unveiled proposals which could lead to a mass closure of offices, with facilities only remaining open at the busiest stations.

It said moving ticket office staff on to station platforms and concourses would “modernise customer service”.

The proposal comes amid pressure from the government on the rail industry over ways it can save money amid the drop in revenue caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

But there are fears the move could lead to job losses and put some vulnerable passengers off train travel.

Do you think closing your local railway station ticket office is a good idea?

Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) interim general secretary Peter Pendle said the government “will face strong opposition”, whileVivienne Francis, chief social change officer at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), said mass closures “would have a hugely detrimental impact on blind and partially sighted people’s ability to buy tickets”.

Neil Middleton, director at pressure group Railfuture, urged the industry to “encourage more self-service but don’t force it”.

However, the RDG pointed out that just 12% of train tickets are bought from offices at stations, down from 82% in 1995.

Passengers will instead be asked to pay for journeys by tapping contactless cards on barriers, using self-service machines, or buying tickets from staff on station concourses or trains if possible.

Train companies across England will launch passenger consultations on the ticket office closures before any changes are implemented.