Council Motion: Save our Ticket Offices (July 2023)

In July 2023 the Rail Delivery Group (representing train operators in the UK) announced that it was pressing ahead with proposals to close up to 1000 dedicated Rail Ticket Offices in England.

Though most tickets are now purchased online or through machines – 12% of all rail tickets are still purchased at staffed ticket offices. Ticket office closures will disproportionately affect elderly and disabled residents alongside those who may not know how to select the most appropriate journey options to keep fares down.

Ticket offices are run and staffed by Train Operators. Below is a Council Motion that calls on both the Government and Train Operators to protect rail ticket offices at your local station. A list of stations with ticket offices at risk in England – and the Rail Operators that staff them – can be found here on the Daily Mirror website and are listed at the bottom of this page.

---

The template Council Motion is below:

Council notes with concern the announcement by the Rail Delivery Group that train companies are pressing ahead with plans to close up to 1000 rail ticket offices across England over the next 3 years.

Council believes that ticket offices provide a vital service to residents in [AREA NAME]. Having a clearly sign-posted place in the station for people with ticket enquiries provides certainty and confidence for customers who may struggle to otherwise locate station staff.  

Not all residents are able to use station ticket machines, or have the means to book a ticket in advance. Complicated journeys involving connections are likely to require human assistance to ensure customers purchase the most appropriate and cheapest tickets, and do not incur penalties or pay more than necessary for their journey.

Council is concerned the closure of ticket offices will disproportionately affect elderly and disabled residents in [AREA NAME] – as well as those with poor literacy and IT skills.

Council notes the statistics from Age UK that 3 million elderly people in the UK do not have access to the internet, and statistics from the Royal National Institute for Blind People that only 3% of those with partial or full sight loss feel able to use ticket machines.

Council is also concerned about the possible implications for current station staff and the concerns that have been raised over possible staff redundancies – given that there will be no regulations for minimum staffing levels at stations and on platforms.

Council therefore resolves to:

• Instruct the Chief Executive to write to Mark Harper MP Secretary of State for Transport, and the Chief Executive of the Rail Delivery Group, expressing Council’s opposition to the possible closure of staffed rail ticket offices – and in particular the office(s) at [LOCAL STATION(S)]
  
• Instruct the Chief Executive to write to [RAIL OPERATOR WHO RUNS LOCAL TICKET OFFICE] expressing the Council’s opposition to any plans to close the staffed ticket office(s) at [LOCAL STATION(S)].

• Refer this issue to [RELEVANT SCRUTINY COMMITTEE] with the recommendation that representatives from [RAIL OPERATOR(S)] are invited to attend a Scrutiny Meeting at the earliest possible point to discuss future plans for ticket offices and staffing at [LOCAL STATION(S)].

---

The full list of ticket offices at risk of closure, the the train companies that operate them, are:

Northern Trains ticket office closures

Accrington, Adlington, Alderley Edge, Alnmouth, Appleby, Ashton-Under-Lyne, Atherton, Barnsley, Beverley, Bingley, Birchwood, Bradford Forster Square, Bramhall, Bredbury, Bridlington, Brinnington, Broad Green, Broadbottom, Bromley Cross, Buckshaw Parkway, Burnage, Burnley Central, Burnley Manchester Road, Buxton,

Chassen Road, Cheadle Hulme, Chorley, Congleton, Cross Gates Yorks, Daisy Hill, Davenport, Deansgate, Dinting, Disley, Driffield, Earlestown, East Didsbury, Eccles, Eccleston Park, Edge Hill Liverpool

Farnworth, Flixton, Garforth, Garswood, Gatley, Glazebrook, Goole, Gorton, Grange-Over-Sands, Greenfield, Guide Bridge, Guiseley, Hadfield, Hag Fold, Hale, Halewood, Halifax, Handforth, Hattersley, Hazel Grove, Heald Green, Heaton Chapel, Hebden Bridge, Hexham, Hindley, Holmes Chapel, Horsforth, Hough Green, Huyton,

Ilkley, Keighley, Kirkham & Wesham, Knutsford, Lea Green, Leeds Travel Centre, Levenshulme, Leyland, Littleborough, Lostock Parkway, Marple, Mauldeth Road, Meadowhall, Menston, Mexborough, Morecambe, Morpeth, Mossley (Greater Manchester), Mossley Hill, New Mills Central, New Mills Newtown, New Pudsey, Newton For Hyde, Newton-Le-Willows, Northwich,

Parbold, Poulton-Le-Fylde, Poynton, Prescot, Rainhill, Redcar Central, Reddish North, Roby, Romiley, Rose Hill (Marple), Rotherham Central, Salford Central, Sandbach, Settle, Shipley, St Annes-On-The-Sea, St Helens Junction, Sunderland, Swinton (Yorkshire), Swinton (Greater Manchester), Thatto Heath, Thorne North, Todmorden, Ulverston, Urmston, Walkden, Warrington West, Wavertree Technology Park, West Allerton, Whaley Bridge, Whiston, Whitehaven, Widnes

Cross Country ticket office closures

Does not operate stations directly.

Says it will be consulted as part of the process and “review proposals carefully”

‌C2C ticket office closures

Chalkwell, East Tilbury, Laindon, Leigh, Ockendon, Pitsea, Purfleet,

Shoebury, Southend East, Stanford le Hope, Thorpe Bay, and Tilbury

Avanti West Coast ticket office closures

Birmingham International, Birmingham New Street, Carlisle, Coventry, Crewe, Glasgow Central, Lancaster, London Euston

Macclesfield, Manchester Piccadilly, Oxenholme Lake District, Penrith North Lakes, Preston, Rugby, Runcorn, Stoke-on-Trent, Stockport, Stafford, Warrington Bank Quay, and Wigan North Western

Chiltern Railways ticket office closures

London Marylebone, Beaconsfield, Denham, Gerrards Cross, High Wycombe, Seer Green & Jordans, Aylesbury, Aylesbury Vale Parkway, Great Missenden, Haddenham & Thame, Princes Risborough,

Stoke Mandeville, Wendover, Banbury, Bicester North, Leamington Spa, Warwick, Warwick Parkway, Birmingham Moor Street, Dorridge, Solihull, and Northolt Park

South Western Trains ticket office closures

Proposing to close all ticket offices and switch to “more face-to-face support” for customers.

‌Addlestone, Aldershot, Alton, Andover, Ascot (Berks), Ash, Ash Vale, Ashford (Surrey), Ashtead, Ashurst New Forest, Axminster, Bagshot, Barnes, Barnes Bridge, Basingstoke, Beaulieu Road, Bedhampton, Bentley, Berrylands, Bitterne, Bookham, Botley, Bournemouth, Box Hill and Westhumble, Bracknell, Brading, Branksome, Brentford, Brockenhurst, Brookwood, Bruton, Bursledon, Byfleet and New Haw,

Camberley, Castle Cary, Chandlers Ford, Chertsey, Chessington North, Chessington South, Chiswick, Christchurch, Clandon, Clapham Junction, Claygate, Cobham and Stoke d’Abernon, Corfe Castle, Cosham, Cranbrook Devon, Crewkerne, Datchet, Dean (Wiltshire),

Earley, Earlsfield, Eastleigh, Effingham Junction, Egham, Epsom Surrey, Esher, Ewell West, Exeter Central, Exeter St Davids, Fareham, Farnborough (Main), Farncombe, Farnham, Feltham, Feniton, Fleet, Fratton, Frimley, Frome, Fulwell, Gillingham (Dorset), Godalming,

Hamble, Hampton London, Hampton Court, Hampton Wick, Hamworthy, Haslemere, Havant, Hedge End, Hersham, Hilsea, Hinchley Wood, Hinton Admiral, Holton Heath, Honiton, Hook, Horsley, Hounslow, Isleworth, Kempton Park Racecourse, Kew Bridge, Kingston, Lake, Leatherhead, Liphook, Liss, London Road (Guildford), London Waterloo, Longcross, Lymington Pier, Lymington Town,

Malden Manor, Martins Heron, Micheldever, Milford (Surrey), Millbrook (Hants), Moreton (Dorset), Mortlake, Motspur Park, Mottisfont and Dunbridge, Netley, New Malden, New Milton, Norbiton, North Sheen, Overton, Oxshott,

Parkstone Dorset, Petersfield, Pinhoe, Pokesdown, Poole, Portchester, Portsmouth and Southsea, Portsmouth Harbour, Putney, Queenstown Road (Battersea), Raynes Park, Reading, Redbridge, Richmond (London), Romsey, Rowlands Castle, Ryde Esplanade, Ryde Pier Head, Ryde St Johns Road,

Salisbury, Sandown, Shanklin, Shawford, Shepperton, Sherborne, Sholing, Smallbrook Junction, Southampton Airport (Parkway), Southampton Central, Staines, St Denys, St Margarets (London), Stoneleigh, Strawberry Hill, Sunbury, Sunningdale, Sunnymeads, Surbiton, Swanwick, Sway, Swaythling, Syon Lane, Teddington, Templecombe, Thames Ditton, Tisbury, Tolworth, Totton, Twickenham, Upper Halliford, Upwey, Vauxhall, Virginia Water,

Walton-On-Thames, Wanborough, Wandsworth Town, Wareham (Dorset), Warminster, West Byfleet, Westbury, Weybridge, Weymouth, Whimple, Whitchurch (Hampshire), Whitton (London), Wimbledon, Winchester, Winchfield, Windsor and Eton Riverside, Winnersh, Winnersh Triangle, Witley, Woking, Wokingham, Wool, Woolston, Worcester Park, Worplesdon, Wraysbury, Yeovil Junction, and Yeovil Pen Mill

East Midlands Railways ticket office closures

Alfreton, Boston, Chesterfield, Hinckley, Kidsgrove, Long Eaton, Mansfield, Melton Mowbray, Newark Castle,

Oakham, Skegness, Spalding, Wellingborough, Beeston, Burton-on-Trent, Corby, East Midlands Parkway, Kettering, Loughborough, Market Harborough, Narborough, Sleaford, and Stamford (Lincs)

Grand Central ticket office closures

Does not operate stations directly.

Arriva Rail London ticket office closures

(Operate London Overground)

Not part of consultation

Greater Anglia ticket office closures

Audley End, Billericay, Bishop’s Stortford, Braintree, Brimsdown, Broxbourne, Burnham-On-Crouch, Cheshunt, Clacton-On-Sea, Colchester Town, Diss, Elsenham, Ely, Enfield Lock, Frinton-On-Sea, Great Yarmouth, Harlow Town, Hatfield Peverel, Hertford East, Hockley, Ingatestone, Kelvedon, Lowestoft,

Manningtree, March, Marks Tey, Newport (Essex), Prittlewell, Rayleigh, Rochford, Rye House, Sawbridgeworth, Shelford, Shenfield, South Woodham Ferrers, Southend Victoria, St Margarets, Stansted Mountfitchet, Stowmarket, Thetford, Tottenham Hale, Waltham Cross, Ware, Whittlesford Parkway, Wickford, Witham, Wivenhoe, and

London North Eastern Railway ticket office closures

(Operates services on the East Coast Main Line)

Berwick-upon-Tweed, Darlington, Durhan, Grantham, Newark Northgate, Retford, and Wakefield Westgate.

Southern ticket office closures

Alexandra Palace Current, Angmering, Arlesey, Arundel, Ashtead, Ashwell & Morden, Balcombe, Baldock, Balham, Barnham, Battersea Park, Beckenham Hill, Bedford, Bellingham, Berwick, Bexhill, Biggleswade, Billingshurst, Bognor Regis, Bosham, Bowes Park, Brighton, Brookmans Park, Burgess Hill, Buxted,

Carshalton, Carshalton Beeches, Caterham, Catford, Cheam, Chichester, Chipstead, Christ’s Hospital, City Thameslink, Cooden Beach, Coulsdon South, Coulsdon Town, Crawley, Cricklewood, Crofton Park, Crowborough, Cuffley, Denmark Hill, Dorking, Dormans, Downham Market, Drayton Park, Durrington On Sea,

Earlswood, East Croydon, East Dulwich, East Grinstead, Eastbourne, Edenbridge Town, Elephant & Castle, Elstree & Borehamwood, Emsworth, Enfield Chase, Epsom, Eridge, Essex Road, Ewell East, Falmer, Farringdon, Finsbury Park, Flitwick, Ford, Gipsy Hill, Gordon Hill, Goring By Sea, Grange Park,

Hackbridge, Hadley Wood, Ham Street, Hampden Park, Harlington, Harpenden, Hassocks, Hatfield (Herts.), Haydons Road, Haywards Heath, Hendon, Hertford North, Hitchin, Horley, Hornsey, Horsham, Hove, Huntingdon, Hurst Green, Ifield, Kenley, Kings Lynn, Kingswood, Knebworth, Lancing, Leagrave, Leatherhead, Letchworth Garden City, Lewes, Lingfield, Littlehampton, London Blackfriars, London Road, London St Pancras International, London Victoria, Loughborough Junction, Luton, Luton Airport Parkway,

Meldreth, Merstham, Mill Hill Broadway, Mitcham Eastfields, Mitcham Junction, Moulsecoomb, New Barnet, New Southgate, Newhaven Town, Norbury, North Dulwich, Nunhead, Oakleigh Park, Oxted, Palmers Green, Peckham Rye, Pevensey & Westham, Plumpton, Polegate, Portslade, Potters Bar, Preston Park, Pulborough, Purley, Purley Oaks, Queens Road Peckham, Radlett, Ravensbourne, Redhill, Reedham, Reigate, Riddlesdown, Royston, Rye, Salfords,

Sanderstead, Sandy, Seaford, Selhurst, Shoreham By Sea, South Bermondsey, South Croydon, Southbourne, Southwick, St Albans, St Neots, Stevenage, Streatham, Streatham Hill, Sutton, Tadworth, Tattenham Corner, Thornton Heath, Three Bridges, Tooting, Tulse Hill, Uckfield, Upper Warlingham,

Waddon, Wallington, Wandsworth Common, Warblington, Watton-At-Stone, Welham Green, Welwyn Garden City, Welwyn North, West Hampstead Thameslink, West Norwood, West Worthing, Whyteleafe, Whyteleafe South, Winchmore Hill, Wivelsfield, Woldingham, Woodmansterne, and Worthing

Southeastern ticket office closures

Ticket offices at medium and larger sized stations will close.

The same for smaller stations, where the only staff currently on the station is the person in the ticket office.

Great Western Railway ticket office closures

No closures but reduced opening hours at some stations.

Hull Trains ticket office closures

Unaffected