The
number
of
people


who
have
responded
to
controversial
ticket
office
closure
proposals
in
England
has
topped
460,000,
according
to
the
passenger
watchdogs
Transport
Focus
and
London
TravelWatch.

The
consultation
period
was
extended
to
1
September
at
the
end
of
July,
and
the
proposals
have
triggered
a
determined
reaction
from
passengers
and
politicians,
who
often
argue
that
closing
nearly
all
ticket
offices
will
discriminate
against
people
who
cannot
use
ticket
vending
machines
and
who
may
not
have
access
to
smartphones
or
the
internet.
The
operators
have
also
conceded
that
a
small
number
of
tickets,
including
railcards,
cannot
be
bought
from
machines.

Labour
shadow
transport
secretary
Louise
Haigh
has
called
on
the
government
to
admit
that
the
proposals
are
intended
to
save
money
rather
than
to
help
passengers
more
effectively
on
station
concourses
and
platforms.

She
said:
‘This
sham
process
is
being
driven
every
step
of
the
way
by
Tory
ministers.
It’s
time
they
stop
dodging
accountability,
and
come
clean
on
the
damage
these
closures
will
do.
Railroading
this
botched
plan
through
without
consideration
for
passengers
or
staff
only
risks
exacerbating
the
managed
decline
of
the
rail
network.’

Meanwhile,
the
RMT
has
claimed
that
mass
closures
could
cause
the
loss
of
2,300
jobs.

London
TravelWatch
chief
executive
Michael
Roberts
said:
‘With
more
than
460,000
responses
received
already,
it’s
clear
that
there
are
strong
views
on
the
future
of
ticket
offices.
With
a
week
still
left
to
have
your
say,
it’s
not
too
late
to
submit
a
response
about
your
local
station.’

Over
the
coming
weeks,
the
two
watchdogs
will
continue
to
analyse
carefully
the
proposals
and
consultation
responses
before
they
report
their
decisions
on
whether
to
support
or
object
to
the
plans.
They
will
be
considering
various
factors,
such
as
whether
a
station
will
continue
to
be
staffed,
accessibility,
the
alternative
options
for
buying
tickets
and
whether
passengers
will
continue
to
be
able
to
use
lifts,
waiting
rooms
and
toilets,
which
are
sometimes
closed
when
no
ticket
office
staff
are
on
duty.