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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think they shouldn’t close 1,000 rail ticket offices?

356 replies

TiredArse · 05/07/2023 17:19

Latest plan to ‘improve’ the railways. Up to 1,000 will close.

We’ll be left with those shitty, self service machines that are a pain to use on a good day. Got a disability or struggle to use a machine? Tough shit. Got a query? Tough shit.

Does anyone actually believe that the money saved will reduce fares or improve services?

You can fill in the consultation form here - not easy to see, you have to click on the words ‘consultation response form’. https://www.transportfocus.org.uk/train-station-ticket-office-consultation/

OP posts:
Flapjacker48 · 31/10/2023 18:36

As expected from the Tories but the government have a bloody cheek. It was the dft who ordered the train companies to come up with these proposals and now they are playing "look we are strong government we have stopped these awful plans produced by the companies"

DdraigGoch · 31/10/2023 19:29

LlynTegid · 31/10/2023 13:14

Ticket offices probably were never going to be closed in large numbers, it was possibly done so the Tories could claim to have listened, and in any case many were in marginal Tory seats. Or if it was the intention, it was to reduce numbers of people in the RMT and other rail unions.

What may happen is that they have reduced hours, and if a staff member is unexpectedly absent, be closed on a particular day.

The view in the DfT and the Treasury is that "no one is travelling by train anymore" (god knows why so many trains are packed around here then) so they thought that they could just get a mass closure over with and no one would notice. They might have rolled back a couple of closures in order to produce a few "minister saves the day" headlines. They weren't expecting the backlash they got, and have now had to abandon the whole plan.

The minister is being incredibly dishonest by claiming that the proposals had come from the operators when in fact the operators have to follow the government's orders.

DdraigGoch · 31/10/2023 19:32

StamppotAndGravy · 31/10/2023 14:58

The ticket machines are horrendous if you're not local. The last one I used at an airport had 6 different options to go from the airport to the city, only one of which would have been valid on the next train leaving and no indication of which one that was! Without local knowledge of routes, peak hours and operators they're impossible without someone explaining. My English is good but I had to get a member of staff to explain which I wanted. God help anyone who doesn't speak good English

Was it Manchester by any chance?

FrivolousTreeDuck · 31/10/2023 20:21

Ticket office at my station was closed this morning - staff having to help people use the vending machines, which was taking longer than it would have to simply sell them a ticket, and creating long queues.

Not to worry, my train was running 17 minutes late so I had plenty of time ...

rwalker · 31/10/2023 21:28

they Should keep the offices but it need to be a joint effort they reduced the number of them and staff
and the people who NEED to not want only use them
i was checking the screens next to ticket office the majority of transactions were straight forward ticket on card that could of been done at machines

LlynTegid · 31/10/2023 21:47

As for using machines or buying online, the UK rail fare structure being what it is, I find it easier to book a train journey in Germany from home than one in the UK.

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