Hello all,

I thought for my blog post I would share with you a letter I wrote to my MP regarding ticket office closures.

I am one of your constituents who is writing to let you know I am deeply unhappy about the proposal to close train station ticket offices.

As a Disabled person who relies on the railways to get to work and various other things I find these recent proposals to be very disconcerting. I am already having to use the ticket machines to get my monthly pass because I cannot top up my M card with a person on the the desk. The ticket machines are not always reliable or even accessible. My needs as a visually impaired person are not being met.

The proposals to have more staff around the station, rather than being ‘stuck behind glass’ is not one I find to be helpful as a visually impaired person. Knowing there is a ticket office I can go to and know there is someone there is far more accessible than standing in the middle of a train station trying to find someone to help me. How is a Visually Impaired Person meant to find a member of staff if they cannot see very well?

These proposals which are being done in the ‘best interest of the public’ are another money saving scheme by the train operators who are looking to cut jobs and make more money.

The staff at my local stations have always been very helpful to me. They do so much more than sell tickets. They support station users to get to their destinations, are a point of contact if they feel unsafe, they clean the stations and keep the spaces looking tidy. They work hard in all sorts of weather doing a variety of jobs to keep our station running.

Disabled people are the largest minority group and by taking away a valid service and disguising it as something in the publics best interest is a disgrace. We need assistance to travel, we need support. If these roles keep being taken away ‘in the publics best interest’ then Disabled people’s worlds are gong to get even smaller. We won’t be able to travel independently.

A few months ago I was on a train and a man was screaming at a woman. The conductor contacted the transport police and we stayed at the station until they had been removed from the train. 

Our stations and trains need staff. Yesterday my M card wouldn’t let me through the barriers even though I had just topped it up that morning. A member of staff was able to let me through. What happens when the staff are no longer there? Northern Rail don’t make the card, Metro do. Am I supposed to stand around and wait on a support line when I have a valid ticket?

One of the stations where we will lose staff after 2pm is a little out of the way. I don’t feel safe there on an evening. So when there are no staff this is one more option for me getting home that has been taken away from me.

Please ensure all ticket offices remain open, I am sure the share holders and managers higher up can do without a few extra pounds. As I don’t fully believe the money will be re invested into our railways, but rather into the back pockets of the shareholders.

I look forward to your response,
Philippa B.

Disabled people need assistance at ticket offices, to be honest it is not just disabled people. There is always a queue at my local train stations.

People want to talk to people. You cannot replace human interaction.

Please write to your MP, you have 5 days left to tell them what you think of ticket office closures.

Thank you,
Philippa B.