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

[TiredArse]

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/

I don't know how to address the big drop in train use , but maybe when the government have stopped people buying petrol or diesel cars and nobody can afford an EV , the trains might have a sudden big boost to its profits !
Plus these measures will stop people going out on trains. So it's all a double edged sword

@the80sweregreat

The did a feature on the bbc six o clock news about disabled people and ticket offices at stations and they had a range of views about it.

Probably because it won't affect them all. We need to listen to those who will be affected though.

I don't think Wales is closing ticket offices.

Caveat - that is not to say that there are not people with additional needs who struggle with the machines etc. Removal of ticket office staff needs to be balanced with appropriate and well trained platform assistance.

How will the platform staff help me find my way to the right platform?

Lots of people saying no need for them because they don't personally use them, but there are people who do. It's one of those things you doubt you'll need, until you find you do.
Fine if there really ARE going to be people helping elsewhere at the station but I suspect it's just an excuse to get rid of most of the staff.
The ticket machines at my local station often seem to be out of order as well.
It's not like the cost savings will be passed on to those of us using the railways either. Ticket prices just keep going upwards and I can't see that changing by closing ticket offices.

Doesn't matter what people's views are , it's obvious this will happen and none of it will make life any easier for anyone.
Same as trying to contact most utility companies. It's all designed to make life harder not easier it seems
( I know I'm an old gimmer )

I’m a cash user
im an infrequent user (every 2-3 months) who just stands and stares at the machine going “I don’t fucking know”
ticket offices are great, I go “I need to go here” and they tell me how much I have to pay, which platform, how long my wait is and where the platform is. a machine doesn’t do that, it gives me too many options about tickets, rail cards and peak or not peak. I don’t know the answers. I just know where I’m going

The machines can be out of order though, not everyone buys in advance online, I think one of the train companies charges you extra to do that

What if the machines are vandalized or just break down ? Look at the chaos at Heathrow with the ' e gates ' the other month.
( don't get me started on those !)
Modern life is rubbish

If they do this, they need to install more ticket machines - ideally one on each platform.

I really dislike using the ticket machine. The one at my local station is positioned so that the sun glares on it in the mornings making the screen hard to see.

No matter what people say, some people do struggle to use the machines. I'm relatively savvy, but I accidentally purchased a single rather than return recently on the machine (only 5p difference in price, so I didn't notice until I got one paper ticket instead of two). So then I had to queue up at the ticket office to get it exchanged and pay the 5p extra.

And also, I sometimes buy 'split tickets' as I often need to start a journey before 10am but I can't use my railcard until after 10am to save 1/3 on my ticket. So I'll buy a full price ticket to the first station that I'll get to after 10am and then buy a discounted ticket for the rest of the journey. I haven't found a way of doing that using the machine as I think the starting station has to be the one you're actually at. But no problem to purchase such a split ticket from the ticket office.

And also, buying through the app is a pain as I think you have to wait up to two hours for the ticket to be added so you can't just buy it at the last minute.

No ticket office or machine where I am you just buy a ticket online/ on the train.

What if your phone is out of battery ?
This reliance on smart phones is worrying imho

Yanbu. I don't have the patience to try and buy a train ticket on-line or with the machines. I need to speak to a human who knows what they're on about.

This. You can buy tickets online and scan it from your phone at the barriers.

Dh lost his phone just before Christmas ( totally his fault etc)
It was a nightmare and made him realize how much we use them and rely on them
It's scary really
Even techy ( young ) people I know struggle sometimes with different apps and that don't always work that well

Oh, for the days when you had something called service.

Yep ! I long for those days
..

You can buy a ticket from a different station on a lot of machines. It's getting better. There should be a 'tickets from other stations' button in first screen.
Because we all know this is inevitable. However much they claim there's a consultation.

Not a surprise. Just the result of automation.

I can't remember the last time I went to a ticket office? Whether it is ticket machines, websites or apps there are infinitely easier ways to buy train tickets nowadays.

Though it is a regulated sector, where TOCs are awarded rail franchises for a set period with minimum service standards. How the railways operate is in no way separate from the government.

That's why statutory bodies will be involved in assessing the proposals and the consultation responses, and the final decision would be for the Secretary of State.

So the proposals have come from the TOCs, but you can be pretty sure they will have tested the waters with the government before getting to this point.

Machines baffle me I'm afraid.
I think it's because I can remember when you saw a person who actually knew what you wanted and it was less stressful all round
I do despair at it all

It will make very little difference at my local station. It’s heavily used by commuters but the office is only open part time anyway. More machines and a person usually on the platforms would be better than the one machine and two people sometimes in the office.

I barely use trains because it is far cheaper to drive and pay for parking.

I usually buy tickets in London, automation is key to making it all move on more efficiently

It’s easy to do and I just prefer the quicker option