PLANS to close the ticket office at Frome Railway Station have been heavily criticised by local rail campaigners and councillors.
The ticket office is set to be axed under proposals from the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) which will see almost all the rail network’s 1,007 remaining offices closed within three years.
The RDG say the move will get staff out of ticket offices and into more ‘customer help’ roles meaning more face-to-face support for customers, but the plans have come under fire.
Frome Mayor, cllr Phillip Campagna said, “The proposed closure of the Frome Station ticket office will come as a blow to many rail passengers. Some, I am sure, will be anxious as to how this will affect their travel by not being able to interact with ticket office staff.”
Local rail campaigner Graham Ellis said, “The majority of rail passengers now use electronic means to self-purchase their tickets – online or through ticket machines at the station. But not everyone is able to do this; many of them use the ticket office because they need assistance in working out what ticket they need, because the ticket they need isn’t available from a machine, or because they’re disabled (including physical, mental and sensory) and cannot use a machine.
“Great Western Railway, under orders from the Department for Transport, is planning to close ticket offices over the next year, with displaced staff invited to roam the station with iPads to help customers. But these iPads will not have the ability to print tickets (nor personalised timetables), nor will the former clerks carry a float to accept cash payment any more.
“Just imagine if you have limited mobility and arrive at a station without a ticket. For the majority of passengers, the new system will work – but until the fare system is simplified and there’s a better system put in place, it’s discriminating against the new, occasional and nervous passenger, and the disabled, and putting up a barrier to rail against the very customers that the industry needs – to grow its users, increase its income and reduce its demands on the taxpayer.
“Frome presently has a single ticket office window, open from 06:30 to lunchtime on Mondays to Saturday and at other times, passengers must buy their tickets in advance online, or from the ticket machine at the station which is card only and does not offer a full range of tickets, nor advice on the best tickets for journeys.
“Last year, 80% of journeys from Frome were booked online, 11% from the staffed ticket office, and just 9% from the ticket machine.
“The promise of a roving member of staff for the same or similar hours is regarded by many as untrustworthy. Staff being re-assigned and a promise of no compulsory redundancies until December 2024 has me wondering if there will actually be anyone there to help (though no longer actually sell tickets). There is mistrust in the rail industry.
“Once the closure goes ahead (it probably will) those with physical, sensory or emotional issues which prevent them comfortably using electronic methods will have no choice but to do so. If they physically can’t, they will be able to join the train and buy their fare from the train manager, but that involves running the gauntlet of signage telling them to buy before the travel. Hardly a way to encourage new passengers.
“Many of our local ticket machines also offer product descriptions that are poor and people sometimes end up paying more than they should, because there’s nothing to recommend by the machine, or because they fear having too restrictive a ticket.
“Inputs to a consultation run by Transport Focus on individual stations are sought by 26th July – less than a week away; the is no general consultation on the overall plans.”
Public transport and disabilities campaigner David Redgewell said, “We don’t think this is in the interests of passengers, especially passengers with reduced mobility and in need of assistance.”
He said tickets such as half-price fares for wheelchair users were not available at ticket machines, which sold only a limited range.
To have your say on the consultation visit: https://www.transportfocus.org.uk/ticket-office-consultation/ – all feedback must be received by Wednesday 26th July.
