Plans to close nearly every railway station ticket office across England have been officially announced with the number of jobs cuts unknown.
Sky News reported on Tuesday that plans for the mass closure of ticket offices were expected on Wednesday.
Now, the train company representative, the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), has made the announcement, which it says is in an effort to reduce costs as passenger numbers are the lowest since 2002 and revenue is 30% below pre-COVID levels
Nearly all ticket offices could be shut with only the busiest stations left with open person-operated ticket facilities with the RDG unable to say how many jobs could be lost.
“We can’t prejudge the outcome of the consultations,” the group said.
Each regional train operating company will publish public closure consultation details on their website, Sky News understands.
Ticket office staff affected by closures will be given the option of moving to a new “multi skilled” role with training provided, the RDG said, with train companies engaging constructively with unions to manage the transition.
The RDG said it hopes affected staff will naturally leave their jobs, move to different roles, or avail of a voluntary exit scheme.
Any shutting of ticket offices is subject to a three week public consultation period. Once that period has ended there will be discussions with staff and unions.
Closing all the offices will be done over three years.
Roughly three out of every five English stations have a ticket office – the vast majority of which are owned and run by the train operators.
There are 1,007 stations in England run by train companies operating under contracts issued by the government.
Posters are being displayed at the vast majority of these today informing passengers about the potential closure of the ticket office.
Unions and disability advocates have long opposed the closures, fearing they will lead to job losses, anti-social behaviour, make it more difficult for wheelchair users or blind people to access trains, and may make passengers less likely to travel by train at night.
The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) said the closures would be “hugely detrimental” for blind and partially sighted people.
Transport Salaried Staffs Association interim general secretary, Peter Pendle, said: “We are clear the government will face strong opposition from this union on the totally unnecessary mass closure of ticket offices.
“Ministers will soon realise that the public have no desire to see their rail network diminished in this way.”
Ticket office closures were a part of the reason for strikes by several unions over the past year.
But the RDG says the facilities are no longer necessary as only 12% of train tickets are bought from offices at stations, down from 85% in 1995.
The proposals will increase, not reduce, the “proportion of staff” available to help customers, it added.
“Customers will always be able to access in person help at a station”.
Closing ticket offices will mean staff are “more visible and readily available to support customers on platforms and
station concourses, helping plan journeys, use ticket machines and being visible to deter antisocial behaviour”, the RDG said.
Following closures, those passengers still wanting to use ticket offices will instead have to buy tickets using self-service machines, from staff on the concourse or on trains, or by contactless card payments at ticket barriers.
It’s not yet known when the first closures will take place.