The
Rail
Delivery
Group
has
confirmed
reports
this
morning
that
the
consultation
period
for
proposed
ticket
office
closures
has
been
extended
from
today
until
1
September.

The
RDG
said
train
operators
had
been
‘listening
to
feedback
and
hope
that
more
people
will
have
the
opportunity
to
have
their
say
in
to
changes
to
how
tickets
are
sold
at
stations’.

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.
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.’

Transport
Focus
chief
executive
Anthony
Smith
added:
‘Transport
Focus
and
London
TravelWatch
have
received
more
than
170,000
comments
already.
This
feedback
is
currently
being
logged
and
reviewed
alongside
individual
train
operator
proposals.

‘It
is
important
that
a
diverse
range
of
views
from
all
parts
of
the
community
are
heard
in
this
consultation.
New
comments
received
will
be
read,
considered
and
used
in
discussions
with
train
companies
in
the
coming
weeks.’

A
group
of
Mayors
from
the
city
regions
and
other
areas
have
been
mounting
a
legal
challenge
to
the
length
of
the
original
21-day
consultation
period,
which
would
have
expired
at
midnight
tonight.