Ticket Office Closure Consultation

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

It’s not a bad idea, provided the government/taxpayer is happy paying for it?

Why not also give the elderly free travel?  65 is probably too young but perhaps the over 80s could travel free?

And for a trinity of changes, get rid of all the different railcards and replace them with one national railcard, which could cost less if you are young, a senior citizen or work in the forces etc.?

As well as the cost and ease of implementation, my main concern is that careful consideration would need to be given to make sure trains and stations have the ability to deal with a likely surge in usage by disabled customers with assistance requirements.

Mind you, I don’t think there’s any impetus within the government to do any above, but perhaps when they decide what they’re going to do with the railways, be that GBR^▸ (Great British Railways) or something else, then that might be the time?

[eightonedee]

It’s not a bad idea, provided the government/taxpayer is happy paying for it?

Why not also give the elderly free travel?  65 is probably too young but perhaps the over 80s could travel free?

And for a trinity of changes, get rid of all the different railcards and replace them with one national railcard, which could cost less if you are young, a senior citizen or work in the forces etc.?

As well as the cost and ease of implementation, my main concern is that careful consideration would need to be given to make sure trains and stations have the ability to deal with a likely surge in usage by disabled customers with assistance requirements.

Mind you, I don’t think there’s any impetus within the government to do any above, but perhaps when they decide what they’re going to do with the railways, be that GBR^▸ (Great British Railways)▸ or something else, then that might be the time?

OK, armchair policy makers and ticketing innovators - can someone develop on (and no doubt improve on, too) my thinking out loud here (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=27839) to come up with the universal concession travel card or free one for those deemed deserving? 

[Bob_Blakey]

...If you are blind, how on earth do you find someone? Guide dogs are trained to know where the ticket office is!

Which pre-supposes that blind individuals with assistance dogs only ever use railway stations with traditional ticket offices, something that I highly doubt is the case.

If these new customer support arrangements are ever implemented I would hope that the service agents will be instructed to approach clearly disabled passengers and enquire if they need any assistance rather than waiting to be asked. Again I have no confidence that the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) / RDG^‡(resolve) will do their job properly.

[ChrisB]

...If you are blind, how on earth do you find someone? Guide dogs are trained to know where the ticket office is!

Which pre-supposes that blind individuals with assistance dogs only ever use railway stations with traditional ticket offices, something that I highly doubt is the case.

Oh dear, someone else trying to cure the 'disabled person problem that isn't disabled & isn't aware that Seeing dogs are individually assigned & then trained, therefotre being trained in that person's local evirons - so yes, they do know that ticket office loacale.

The idea is growing on me - surely it would be possible to combine passes for all forms of public transport into one for disabled people?

Maybe the blue badge for parking too?

It would make all concerned lives much more straightforward.

TG - If you are blind, how on earth do you find someone? Guide dogs are trained to know where the ticket office is!

That is one pf the problems - you haven't solved it.

[grahame]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66705508

A backlash against plans to close most rail station ticket offices in England has led to a delay in the process.

A public consultation into the plans received 680,000 responses, which passenger watchdogs say is a record.

Transport Focus and London Travelwatch were originally due to assess them by 6 October, but asked for more time and now have until 31 October.

[ChrisB]

The petition to 'persuade' our MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament) to actually debate this proposal has today finally passed the 100,000 signatures required - at time of writing, 100,206 have signed.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/636542

[grahame]

The petition to 'persuade' our MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament) to actually debate this proposal has today finally passed the 100,000 signatures required - at time of writing, 100,206 have signed.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/636542

Read it carefully - it says it will CONSIDER a debate ;-)  ... It already contains (from July) the standard DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) answer.   Part of the furriery - but I wouldn't like to guess whether it will make any difference.

[ChrisB]

Yep, read it carefully - I did say “persuade”.

[grahame]

Yep, read it carefully - I did say “persuade”.

I did - I emphasised your caution 

[TaplowGreen]

In some ways could that make matters worse for those campaigning?

If it's put to a vote after the debate, won't the Tories simply whip their MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament) to vote for the original closure proposal and then (presumably?) It's game over with a democratic mandate?

I'm sure someone with more constitutional knowledge than me can clarify!

[PhilWakely]

In some ways could that make matters worse for those campaigning?

If it's put to a vote after the debate, won't the Tories simply whip their MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament) to vote for the original closure proposal and then (presumably?) It's game over with a democratic mandate?

I'm sure someone with more constitutional knowledge than me can clarify!

If it does get to a vote, then there are enough Tories who have already spoken out against the closure to defeat the original proposal. If they were whipped, I am sure their local constituents would have something to say after the event and the publicity would not go down well. Just another nail in the Tories coffin.

[ChrisB]

Do these petitions ever result in a vote? I thought they are Westminster Hall debates, and thus don't?

[grahame]

Do these petitions ever result in a vote? I thought they are Westminster Hall debates, and thus don't?

But what would the effect of a vote be in practise?   What a debate might do is help inform the relevant department of garment as to MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament) views with a look towards changing the application of rules, policies or guidelines or towards legal changes.

[Clan Line]

Worth a read..................
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/sep/26/tragic-death-of-the-ticket-office-the-inhuman-isolating-change-that-could-ruin-train-travel

..............summed up in this brief extract:

"In developing our proposal to modernise and update our stations, we have focused on delivering improvements for our customers,” says Claire Mann, the managing director of South Western Railway (SWR^» (South Western Railway - about)), which runs Ryde Esplanade station. Nothing to do with reducing staff numbers at stations to save money, then. The train operators say that ticket office staff can be retrained and moved to a new, multiskilled role, while SWR “can offer a customer service that aligns with what customers actually want and need, in line with their expectations from modern retailing”.

None of the customers I meet today say that closing the ticket office is what they want or need, or that it is in line with their retailing expectations. On the contrary, they call the decision “disgusting”, “ridiculous”, “gutting”, “inhuman”, “isolating”, “diabolical”, “ageist”, “ableist” and “heartbreaking”.

The usual meaningless double-speak waffle from TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) senior management !!!

[grahame]

From Transport Focus

More than half a million responses

With more than half a million responses, the consultation on proposed changes to ticket offices closed on Friday 1 September. The process ran between 5 July and 1 September 2023, following an extension by train operators in July.

Transport Focus and London TravelWatch are now analysing the 680,000 responses received. The consultation on train operator proposals to close the majority of ticket offices in England has seen one of the largest responses seen by the watchdogs.

In the consultation responses from the public and stakeholders, concerns were raised around accessibility, safety and security, issues with ticket machines and how stations will be staffed in future. Over the coming weeks, the watchdogs will continue to analyse the train operator proposals and public consultation responses before responding to train operators by 31 October.

Transport Focus and London TravelWatch will publish the response to each train company’s proposals online with an overview of the number of responses received, and the main issues raised in the consultation.

Transport Focus staff are reviewing the public responses and the train company proposals to assess whether or not they will improve the quality of service for passengers. Transport Focus has published the criteria it is using to assess train proposals and inform its decision.

If the watchdogs object, the train company can refer its proposal to the Secretary of State for a final decision. The Department for Transport has published guidance which sets out the approach the Secretary of State will take if this happens.