Threat of closure looms for hundreds of rail ticket offices in England

Train companies insist staff can serve customers better if ticket office are on station concourses

Only 12 per cent of train tickets are bought from offices at stations, rail companies said. PA

Plans to close almost every railway station ticket office in England are expected to be announced on Wednesday.

About three in five stations have a ticket office, the vast majority owned and run by train operators, which are under pressure from the government to save money amid a drop in revenue.

The plan to close the ticket offices, which will affect hundreds of stations, could intensify anger among rail workers who are already involved in long-running disputes over pay, jobs and conditions.

There are concerns the move could lead to job losses and deter vulnerable passengers, such as the disabled or elderly, from travelling by train.

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG), made up of train companies, will unveil proposals to shut the ticket offices at hundreds of stations, the UK’s Press Association reported on Tuesday.

The RDG said only 12 per cent of train tickets are bought from station offices, down from 85 per cent in 1995.

Train companies believe ticket office staff would be able to serve customers better if they were on station concourses.

Passengers will be asked to pay for journeys by tapping contactless cards on barriers, using self-service machines and buying tickets on trains if possible.

Last week, Mick Lynch, general secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) warned it would “vigorously oppose any moves to close ticket offices”.

An RDG spokesman said negotiations with the union over the changes had “stalled” and the industry was “now looking at how to move forward”.

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  A quiet Waterloo Station in central London as members of the drivers' union Aslef go on strike. PA

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  A near-empty Paddington station in London. PA

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  Mick Whelan, centre, general secretary of Aslef, joins union members on the picket line outside Newcastle station. PA

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  A sign warns passengers of strikes at Waterloo Station in central London. PA

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  Strike notification at Newcastle station. PA

“Any changes would be subject to employee and public consultations,” he said.

“Staff always remain front of mind, so as you would expect from a responsible employer, if and when the time comes for proposals on ticket offices to be published, they will be the first to know.”

Train drivers in the Aslef union have started another two weeks of overtime bans, as part of their dispute over contract dispute.

Other rail company staff, including RMT union members who work at the stations, have also been on strike this year.

The strikes have led to extensive shutdowns of the network.