Northern politicians have slammed plans to close most of the rail station ticket offices in the Country.
Transport for the North, made up of politicians across the North, has responded to a government consultation on the plans, which will see every ticket office in the Bradford District apart from Bradford Interchange shut.
This will include several stations that regularly welcome over a million commuters a year.
The Government has claimed that the changes will not lead to a reduction in staff, but will instead bring staff out from “behind the glass” of little used ticket offices.
But the proposals have been widely criticised.
TFN’s response was discussed at a meeting of its Rail North Committee on Wednesday.
The response says: “We accept that the way people buy tickets is changing, although the proportion of people using ticket offices in the North is higher than the national average, with about one-sixth of tickets purchased at ticket offices as compared to one-eighth nationally.
“We are very clear that the availability of ticket offices is, for many people, much more than just about buying a ticket, for example providing information and assurance as well as enhancing safety and security.”
It points out that numerous stations in the North that over a million passengers pass through each year would lose their ticket stations.
These include Bradford Forster Square, Keighley and Shipley.
Caroline Young, Partnership Manager for Transport for the North, said: “We clearly reject the proposals put forward – we don’t believe the argument that it is value for money to close ticket offices. We believe the rail industry will actually lose money by closing ticket offices.”
Councillor Craig Browne, from Cheshire East Council, said Crewe was one station due to lose its ticket office. He added: “It will be the first stopping point in the North for HS2, and it won’t even have a ticket office.”
Bradford Council Leader Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe said: “The feeling is clear across the North and indeed the country, we don’t want closures.”
She asked if rail companies had frozen recruitment of ticket office staff with closures looming.
A representative from Transpennine Express said vacancies were not being filled while they await the outcome of the national consultation.
A representative from Northern said the comp any had made a decision to fill vacant roles temporarily while they await the outcome.
Cllr Hinchcliffe said: “We have to be cautious this doesn’t impact ticket office opening hours.”
Tricia Williams, Managing Director of Northern, said: “We’re very aware of our obligation to keep ticket office hours as advertised.”
Mr Burnham said he had recently received correspondence from the Government, saying they still aimed to shake up the provision of ticket offices, but that after the consultation may “reform proposals accordingly.”
He added: “This suggests that the Government might be open to change.”
Jamie Driscoll, Mayor of the North Tyne Combined Authority, said: “You can’t have a better service if you’re going to reduce the number of people working at a station.”
