The
legality
of
the
consultation


about
closing
the
ticket
offices
at
most
stations
in
England
has
been
challenged
by
the
RMT
union,
which
has
called
for
‘the
whole
disastrous
closure
programme
to
be
abandoned’.

The
union
was
reacting
to
the
news
that
the
original
21-day
consultation
period,
which
would
have
ended
last
night,
is
being
extended
to
1
September.

The
transport
watchdogs
Transport
Focus
and
London
TravelWatch
said
they
have
already
received
more
than
170,000
objections
to
the
closures,
and
many
Railnews
readers
have
also
voiced
their
opposition,
often
making
the
point
that
buying
tickets
will
become
more
difficult,
particularly
for
people
with
disabilities
or
those
who
do
not
possess
smartphones
or
have
access
to
the
internet.

The
Mayors
in
the
city
regions
and
some
of
their
colleagues
elsewhere
had
already
been
preparing
to
mount
a
legal
challenge
to
the
plans,
which
have
been
published
by
English
train
operators
with
Department
for
Transport
contracts.
Some
critics
have
claimed
that
the
closure
programme
has
been
devised
by
the
Department,
because
it
believes
the
closures
would
reduce
railway
costs.

The
RMT
says
over
1,000
ticket
offices
are
due
to
be
closed
with
the
loss
of
over
2,000
station
staff.
It
is
known
that
preliminary
redundancy
notices
have
already
been
served
on
the
unions
by
train
operators.

RMT
general
secretary
Mick
Lynch
said:
‘Campaigning
by
our
members
on
stations
across
the
country
alongside
tenacious
disabled
peoples’
groups
and
passenger
bodies
has
forced
rail
bosses
and
ministers
to
admit
the
original
consultation
was
not
fit
for
purpose
and
must
be
extended.

‘Although
our
pressure
has
forced
their
hand,
it
is
still
a
deeply
flawed
and
a
wholly
inadequate
consultation
process
which
we
are
considering
challenging
legally
in
the
courts.

‘Our
campaign
to
save
ticket
offices,
protect
our
members’
jobs
and
look
out
for
the
best
interests
of
all
rail
passengers
will
only
intensify
in
the
coming
weeks.’

The
RMT
had
already
planned
to
stage
another
24-hour
walkout
affecting
most
English
train
operators
on
Saturday
in
its
dispute
over
pay
and
conditions,
which
now
also
includes
a
bid
to
keep
ticket
offices
open.

Rail
Delivery
Group
chief
executive
Jacqueline
Starr
said:
‘Train
companies
have
listened
to
feedback,
and
are
extending
the
time
available
to
respond
to
the
consultation
on
changes
to
how
tickets
are
sold
at
stations
to
1
September.
Operators
are
keen
to
give
more
people
a
chance
to
give
their
views
on
the
proposals,
so
they
can
bring
the
railway
up
to
date
with
dramatic
shifts
in
customer
buying
habits,
while
supporting
all
its
customers
as
the
railway
evolves
and
adapts.

‘While
local
plans
vary,
the
aim
of
the
proposals
is
to
bring
staff
out
from
behind
ticket
office
windows
to
offer
more
help
for
customers
buying
tickets
and
navigating
stations.
At
the
same
time
ticket
vending
machines
are
being
upgraded
to
offer
a
wider
range
of
fares,
and
we
have
committed
that
no
customer
will
have
to
go
out
of
their
way
to
buy
a
ticket.’