► Most station ticket offices in England are set to be axed ► Union says ‘hundreds’ of redundancy notices have been issued ► Government accused of ‘ducking and diving’ from scrutiny Consultations over proposals to close ticket offices at all but the largest stations have been launched. They will run for 21 days. The Rail Delivery Group said: ‘The proposals would help bring station retailing up to date from the mid 90s, when the rules on how to sell tickets were set and before the invention of the smartphone. Back then, 82 per cent of all tickets were sold at ticket offices, compared to just 12 per cent on average today, a downward trend which accelerated during the pandemic.’ It continued that the proposals were ‘being launched against the backdrop of long-running industrial action by rail unions RMT and ASLEF over changes necessary to bring the railway up to date and make it sustainable in the long term, with revenue continuing to languish at 30 per cent below pre-pandemic levels. As RMT talks stalled due to their refusal to put a pay and jobs guarantee offer to its membership, train companies must now move ahead with essential reforms to bring the industry in line with the modern retailing, while maintaining valuable staff contact for customers.’ Industrial unrest began more than a year ago. ASLEF is staging an overtime ban at most English train operators this week, and the RMT has called three 24-hour walkouts later this month. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: ‘The decision to close up to 1,000 ticket offices and to issue hundreds of redundancy notices to staff is a savage attack on railway workers, their families and the travelling public. Travellers will be forced to rely on apps and remote mobile teams to be available to assist them rather than having trained staff on stations. This is catastrophic for elderly, disabled and vulnerable passengers. ‘The arrangements for ticket office opening hours, set out in Schedule 17 of the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement, are the only statutory regulation of station staffing. ‘It is crystal clear that the government and train companies want to tear up this agreement and pave the way for a massive de-staffing of the rail network. ‘Some of the train operators issuing our members with statutory redundancy notices today are cutting two thirds of their workforce.’ Ministers say they want to make station staff ‘more visible and accessible’, but Labour shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said: ‘Despite the concerns of vulnerable passengers, Conservative ministers are ducking and diving from scrutiny. ‘They refuse to say how many stations have alternatives to ticket offices, what the impact will be on jobs, or how it will hit vulnerable rail users. ‘The Conservatives should come clean, and give passengers the answers they deserve. ‘Railroading this decision in just three weeks, without proper consideration for staff and vulnerable passengers, only risks exacerbating the managed decline of the rail network.’ Passenger watchdogs Transport Focus and London TravelWatch are inviting responses to the plan, saying: ‘We will use this feedback to formally respond to the rail industry about the proposals.’ Transport Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said: ‘It’s important for people to have their say. We urge passengers to look at the proposals and tell us what the ticket office changes might mean for them. Transport Focus will make sure passengers’ views are heard. ‘It is a regulatory requirement as part of this process that Transport Focus and passengers are consulted. Transport Focus will review the impact of the proposed changes and passenger comments received before responding to train operator proposals.’  The proposals will technically come from individual train operators, but the government has been collecting revenue and paying operators’ costs since the Covid-19 pandemic. Rail minister Huw Merriman told the Commons on 29 June that ‘together with the industry we want to modernise the passenger experience by moving staff out from ticket offices to more visible and accessible roles around the station. Staff will be better placed to assist passengers who need additional support and to provide face-to-face help in customer focused roles. To propose any changes to the opening hours, or the closure of ticket offices, train operating companies must follow the process set out in the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement.’

► Most station ticket offices in England are set to be axed ► Union claims redundancy notices have been issued ► Government accused of ‘ducking and diving’ from scrutiny Consultations over proposals to close ticket offices at all but the largest stations have been launched. They will run for 21 days. The Rail Delivery Group said: ‘The proposals would help bring station retailing up to date from the mid 90s, when the rules on how to sell tickets were set and before the invention of the smartphone. Back then, 82 per cent of all tickets were sold at ticket offices, compared to just 12 per cent on average today, a downward trend which accelerated during the pandemic.’ It continued that the proposals were ‘being launched against the backdrop of long-running industrial action by rail unions RMT and ASLEF over changes necessary to bring the railway up to date and make it sustainable in the long term, with revenue continuing to languish at 30 per cent below pre-pandemic levels. As RMT talks stalled due to their refusal to put a pay and jobs guarantee offer to its membership, train companies must now move ahead with essential reforms to bring the industry in line with the modern retailing, while maintaining valuable staff contact for customers.’ Industrial unrest began more than a year ago. ASLEF is staging an overtime ban at most English train operators this week, and the RMT has called three 24-hour walkouts later this month. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: ‘The decision to close up to 1,000 ticket offices and to issue hundreds of redundancy notices to staff is a savage attack on railway workers, their families and the travelling public. ‘Travellers will be forced to rely on apps and remote mobile teams to be available to assist them rather than having trained staff on stations. This is catastrophic for elderly, disabled and vulnerable passengers. ‘The arrangements for ticket office opening hours, set out in Schedule 17 of the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement, are the only statutory regulation of station staffing. ‘It is crystal clear that the government and train companies want to tear up this agreement and pave the way for a massive de-staffing of the rail network. ‘Some of the train operators issuing our members with statutory redundancy notices today are cutting two thirds of their workforce.’ The RDG told Railnews that no redundancy notices have been issued to staff, but consultation letters have been sent to union reps, and these may refer to ‘jobs at risk’. Railnews has asked for clarification. Ministers say they want to make station staff ‘more visible and accessible’, but Labour shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said: ‘Despite the concerns of vulnerable passengers, Conservative ministers are ducking and diving from scrutiny. ‘They refuse to say how many stations have alternatives to ticket offices, what the impact will be on jobs, or how it will hit vulnerable rail users. ‘The Conservatives should come clean, and give passengers the answers they deserve. ‘Railroading this decision in just three weeks, without proper consideration for staff and vulnerable passengers, only risks exacerbating the managed decline of the rail network.’ Passenger watchdogs Transport Focus and London TravelWatch are inviting responses to the plan, saying: ‘We will use this feedback to formally respond to the rail industry about the proposals.’ Transport Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said: ‘It’s important for people to have their say. We urge passengers to look at the proposals and tell us what the ticket office changes might mean for them. Transport Focus will make sure passengers’ views are heard. ‘It is a regulatory requirement as part of this process that Transport Focus and passengers are consulted. Transport Focus will review the impact of the proposed changes and passenger comments received before responding to train operator proposals.’  The proposals will technically come from individual train operators, but the government has been collecting revenue and paying operators’ costs since the Covid-19 pandemic. Rail minister Huw Merriman told the Commons on 29 June that ‘together with the industry we want to modernise the passenger experience by moving staff out from ticket offices to more visible and accessible roles around the station. Staff will be better placed to assist passengers who need additional support and to provide face-to-face help in customer focused roles. To propose any changes to the opening hours, or the closure of ticket offices, train operating companies must follow the process set out in the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement.’

► Most station ticket offices in England are set to be axed ► Union claims redundancy notices have been issued ► Government accused of ‘ducking and diving’ from scrutiny Consultations over proposals to close ticket offices at all but the largest stations have been launched. They will run for 21 days. The Rail Delivery Group said: ‘The proposals would help bring station retailing up to date from the mid 90s, when the rules on how to sell tickets were set and before the invention of the smartphone. Back then, 82 per cent of all tickets were sold at ticket offices, compared to just 12 per cent on average today, a downward trend which accelerated during the pandemic.’ It continued that the proposals were ‘being launched against the backdrop of long-running industrial action by rail unions RMT and ASLEF over changes necessary to bring the railway up to date and make it sustainable in the long term, with revenue continuing to languish at 30 per cent below pre-pandemic levels. As RMT talks stalled due to their refusal to put a pay and jobs guarantee offer to its membership, train companies must now move ahead with essential reforms to bring the industry in line with the modern retailing, while maintaining valuable staff contact for customers.’ Industrial unrest began more than a year ago. ASLEF is staging an overtime ban at most English train operators this week, and the RMT has called three 24-hour walkouts later this month. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: ‘The decision to close up to 1,000 ticket offices and to issue hundreds of redundancy notices to staff is a savage attack on railway workers, their families and the travelling public. ‘Travellers will be forced to rely on apps and remote mobile teams to be available to assist them rather than having trained staff on stations. This is catastrophic for elderly, disabled and vulnerable passengers. ‘The arrangements for ticket office opening hours, set out in Schedule 17 of the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement, are the only statutory regulation of station staffing. ‘It is crystal clear that the government and train companies want to tear up this agreement and pave the way for a massive de-staffing of the rail network. ‘Some of the train operators issuing our members with statutory redundancy notices today are cutting two thirds of their workforce.’ The RDG told Railnews consultation letters have been sent to union reps. It declined to release the text of the letters, but said: ‘No redundancy notices have been served to staff. Alongside public consultations, train operators have issued a letter to trade unions which opens consultation on managing the transition in a way that minimises the impact of the changes – examples include moving to a new multi skilled role and comprehensive re-training and re-skilling, staff moving to other roles and the potential for a voluntary severance scheme. Train companies are committed to treating staff, who are hugely valued, fairly and will continue to engage constructively with unions at a local level to manage the transition.’ Ministers say they want to make station staff ‘more visible and accessible’, but Labour shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said: ‘Despite the concerns of vulnerable passengers, Conservative ministers are ducking and diving from scrutiny. ‘They refuse to say how many stations have alternatives to ticket offices, what the impact will be on jobs, or how it will hit vulnerable rail users. ‘The Conservatives should come clean, and give passengers the answers they deserve. ‘Railroading this decision in just three weeks, without proper consideration for staff and vulnerable passengers, only risks exacerbating the managed decline of the rail network.’ Passenger watchdogs Transport Focus and London TravelWatch are inviting responses to the plan, saying: ‘We will use this feedback to formally respond to the rail industry about the proposals.’ Transport Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said: ‘It’s important for people to have their say. We urge passengers to look at the proposals and tell us what the ticket office changes might mean for them. Transport Focus will make sure passengers’ views are heard. ‘It is a regulatory requirement as part of this process that Transport Focus and passengers are consulted. Transport Focus will review the impact of the proposed changes and passenger comments received before responding to train operator proposals.’  The proposals will technically come from individual train operators, but the government has been collecting revenue and paying operators’ costs since the Covid-19 pandemic. Rail minister Huw Merriman told the Commons on 29 June that ‘together with the industry we want to modernise the passenger experience by moving staff out from ticket offices to more visible and accessible roles around the station. Staff will be better placed to assist passengers who need additional support and to provide face-to-face help in customer focused roles. To propose any changes to the opening hours, or the closure of ticket offices, train operating companies must follow the process set out in the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement.’ Which ticket offices might stay open?Some operators have released details of their intentions. Avanti West Coast said its offices at some larger stations would be kept ‘short-term’ for passengers with complicated ticket queries which cannot be resolved on line or at a ticket machine. It said these stations are those managed by Network Rail at London Euston, Manchester Piccadilly, Birmingham New Street and Glasgow Central, where AWC runs the ticket offices, and also Preston and Carlisle.  Greater Anglia plans to open Customer Information Centres at London Liverpool Street, Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich, Stansted Airport and Cambridge. Of the remaining 47 stations, some would have changes to staffing hours, but no presently staffed station will become unstaffed. Great Western Railway is proposing to close all its ticket offices by the end of next year, including London Paddington. It has already closed summer-only ticket windows at Looe, Newquay and St Ives. LNER said it proposed to maintain ticket offices at Edinburgh, Newcastle, York, Doncaster, Peterborough and London King’s Cross, ‘which will continue to offer the same range of products and opening times’. Southeastern said it serves 180 stations, and runs 142 ticket offices. It is proposing to open Travel Centres at its 14 busiest stations. The other offices will close, but staff will return to 14 stations which are currently unstaffed because of vacancies. West Midlands Trains said ‘all ticket offices in their current form would close over the next three years’ but that it would introduce a number of ‘hub stations’ offering ‘enhanced retail facilities and customer support’. The ‘hubs’ are proposed at Milton Keynes Central, Northampton, Nuneaton, Watford Junction, Birmingham Snow Hill, Sutton Coldfield, University, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Worcester Foregate Street.

Most station ticket offices in England are set to be axed, it has been confirmed. Consultations into proposals to close the offices at all but the largest stations have been launched. They will run for 21 days. The government has been accused of ‘ducking and diving’ from scrutiny. The Rail Delivery Group said: ‘The proposals would help bring station retailing up to date from the mid 90s, when the rules on how to sell tickets were set and before the invention of the smartphone. Back then, 82 per cent of all tickets were sold at ticket offices, compared to just 12 per cent on average today, a downward trend which accelerated during the pandemic.’ Industrial tensions over pay and conditions are continuing. ASLEF is staging an overtime ban at most English train operators this week, and the RMT has called three 24-hour walkouts later this month. The Rail Delivery Group added that the proposals were ‘being launched against the backdrop of long-running industrial action by rail unions RMT and ASLEF over changes necessary to bring the railway up to date and make it sustainable in the long term, with revenue continuing to languish at 30 per cent below pre-pandemic levels. As RMT talks stalled due to their refusal to put a pay and jobs guarantee offer to its membership, train companies must now move ahead with essential reforms to bring the industry in line with the modern retailing, while maintaining valuable staff contact for customers.’ Ministers say they want to make station staff ‘more visible and accessible’, but Labour shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said: ‘Despite the concerns of vulnerable passengers, Conservative ministers are ducking and diving from scrutiny. ‘They refuse to say how many stations have alternatives to ticket offices, what the impact will be on jobs, or how it will hit vulnerable rail users. ‘The Conservatives should come clean, and give passengers the answers they deserve. ‘Railroading this decision in just three weeks, without proper consideration for staff and vulnerable passengers, only risks exacerbating the managed decline of the rail network.’ Passenger watchdogs Transport Focus and London TravelWatch are inviting responses to the plan, saying: ‘We will use this feedback to formally respond to the rail industry about the proposals.’ Transport Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said: ‘It’s important for people to have their say. We urge passengers to look at the proposals and tell us what the ticket office changes might mean for them. Transport Focus will make sure passengers’ views are heard. ‘It is a regulatory requirement as part of this process that Transport Focus and passengers are consulted. Transport Focus will review the impact of the proposed changes and passenger comments received before responding to train operator proposals.’  The proposals will technically come from individual train operators, but the government has been collecting revenue and paying operators’ costs since the Covid-19 pandemic. Rail minister Huw Merriman told the Commons on 29 June that ‘together with the industry we want to modernise the passenger experience by moving staff out from ticket offices to more visible and accessible roles around the station. Staff will be better placed to assist passengers who need additional support and to provide face-to-face help in customer focused roles. To propose any changes to the opening hours, or the closure of ticket offices, train operating companies must follow the process set out in the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement.’

The Department for Transport is reported to be pressing ahead with the closure of most station ticket offices in England. An announcement is expected this morning about the launch of a consultation, but closing the offices seems likely to spark a furious union reaction and add to the present industrial tensions. ASLEF is staging an overtime ban at most English train operators this week, and the RMT has called three 24-hour walkouts later this month. Rail minister Huw Merriman told the Commons on 29 June that ‘together with the industry we want to modernise the passenger experience by moving staff out from ticket offices to more visible and accessible roles around the station. Staff will be better placed to assist passengers who need additional support and to provide face-to-face help in customer focused roles. To propose any changes to the opening hours, or the closure of ticket offices, train operating companies must follow the process set out in the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement.’ RMT general secretary Mick Lynch has said: ‘The train operating companies and the government must understand that we will vigorously oppose any moves to close ticket offices. ‘We will not meekly sit by and allow thousands of jobs to be sacrificed or see disabled and vulnerable passengers left unable to use the railways as a result.’ Ministers want to axe ticket offices because they are no longer used by most passengers. Ticket purchases will have to be made in other ways, such as from machines or on line, which is already the case in some other European countries, including the Netherlands and Sweden.

Trains have started to call at a new station in the southern suburbs of Exeter this morning, following an opening ceremony attended by transport secretary Mark Harper. Marsh Barton on the Great Western main line is near a park and industrial estate, and is served by trains running between Paignton, Exeter St David’s and Exmouth. The transport secretary visited the station yesterday to declare it open, and while he was in Devon he also visited the site of the nearby Dawlish sea wall, which has now been completed. Mark Harper said: ‘I am delighted to see the completion of these major projects, delivering a Government commitment to improve a vital rail route for passengers in the South West.  ‘These projects demonstrate a Government that is delivering our promises, investing in vital infrastructure and improving transport connections to help grow the economy.’ He was welcomed to Marsh Barton by GWR managing director Mark Hopwood, who said: ‘New stations such as this are vital in bringing the railway closer to people as we become mindful of the need to live and travel more sustainably. Marsh Barton will help to ease congestion on some of Exeter’s busiest roads and offer a more environmentally friendly option for those who normally drive into the area. ‘Marsh Barton is one of three GWR stations to open this year along with Portway Park & Ride in Bristol and Reading Green Park, and we are excited for the benefits these stations will bring to the local economy, to residents, businesses and leisure travellers.’

Train services in England could be cancelled or altered at short notice, because a ban on overtime and rest day working is being staged by the drivers’ union ASLEF from today until Saturday. The restriction is part of the union’s continuing dispute with the industry over pay. The union’s general secretary Mick Whelan said: ‘Once again we find ourselves with no alternative but to take this action. We have continually come to the negotiating table in good faith, seeking to resolve the dispute. Sadly, it is clear from the actions of both the train operating companies and the government that they do not want an end to the dispute. Their goals appear to be to continue industrial strife and to do down our industry. ‘We don't want to inconvenience the public. We just want to see our members paid fairly during a cost of living crisis when inflation is running at above 10 per cent, and to not see our terms and conditions taken away. ’It's time for the government and the companies to think again and look for a resolution.’ National Rail is warning that problems are most likely on Chiltern Railways, Govia Thameslink Railway (all divisions), Greater Anglia, Great Western Railway, South Western Railway (including Island Line) and TransPennine Express. GWR said its sleeper services between London and Cornwall will not run again until Sunday night. Other operators who may be able to provide their full timetables are Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, LNER, Northern, Southeastern and West Midlands Trains. Operators who are not expecting to be affected, including those which are outside the scope of the dispute, are c2c, Caledonian Sleeper, Docklands Light Railway, Glasgow Subway, Grand Central, Elizabeth Line, Heathrow Express, Hull Trains, London Overground, London Underground, Lumo, Merseyrail, ScotRail, Transport for Wales and Tyne & Wear Metro. Meanwhile, ASLEF cancelled a strike which it had called for yesterday on Avanti West Coast, after a ‘sick note policy’ was withdrawn. Mick Whelan said: As we have always said, we want to maintain a culture of positive industrial relations. This outcome shows that when management come to the table and understand our members' perspective we are able to resolve issues effectively.’ More serious disruption is expected later in the month, when the RMT stages three 24-hour strikes which will affect the majority of operators in England, on 20, 22 and 29 July.

Green trains ++ New carbon calculations demonstrate that travelling by rail from London to Edinburgh creates only a tenth of the carbon emissions produced by car travel and 13 times less than by plane, according to the Rail Delivery Group. The new figures use detailed rail data including fuel type, journey distance, carriage layout and occupancy for the first time, to create an industry benchmark for carbon measurement. A rail industry initiative, Green Travel Pledge, will provide carbon calculations which are to be released to businesses in Britain by the end of the year. More trains ++ An option to purchase 11 more trains for the Docklands Light Railway has been taken up by Transport for London. This now means a total of 54 new trains will be introduced from 2024. The new units will be built by CAF, and have been funded by the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund, in line with an agreement in 2019. The first two new trains from the original order, with a walk-through design, audio and visual real time travel information, air conditioning and mobile device charge points, have been delivered. They are being tested overnight outside traffic hours, and should enter service next year. North London closures ++ Major engineering work to upgrade the local ‘DC lines’ between London Euston and Watford Junction has been arranged for this summer. The tracks mostly run alongside the West Coast Main Line, and carry London Overground trains. Bakerloo Line trains also share the route with Overground services between Queen’s Park and Harrow & Wealdstone. Various possessions have been arranged between 23 July and 25 August, and there will be some closures while p-way teams install 18,000 concrete sleepers, replace 48km of signal cables and upgrade the drains between Harlesden and Stonebridge Park. Six stations will be improved, and the work will include new platform surfaces and canopy maintenance. The traction supply will also be upgraded. Depot upgrade ++ A multi-million pound signalling control suite has been energised at Gosforth Tyne & Wear Metro depot, as preparations continue for introducing a new fleet. The suite will control movements of empty stock between the depot and the main line, and replaces an installation which dates from the 1980s. Staff in the new control suite have a panoramic view of the depot site, and computers allow controllers to signal trains with a few clicks of a mouse. 

The launch of a new train service in Birmingham has been delayed, because the stations will not be ready before 2024. The Camp Hill line, which will have three stations, had been intended to reopen to passengers this year. The project will cost £61 million. This is being paid mainly by the West Midlands Combined Authority, and there are also contributions from the Department for Transport and Birmingham City Council. The double track route between St Andrews Junction, east of New Street, and Kings Norton is open for freight traffic and diverted passenger trains, but its stations were closed ‘temporarily’ in 1941. The closures were confirmed as permanent in 1946. The West Midlands Rail Executive says: ‘Since then, the area’s population has grown. There’s also more commercial activity. This means more people are travelling. This has led to traffic congestion and long journey times.’ The three stations will be Moseley Village, Kings Heath and Pineapple Road in Stirchley, which are all being built by contractor VolkerFitzpatrick. An unstable wall near Pineapple Road has contributed to the delay, because it has to be rebuilt ‘brick by brick’. Other problems are the discovery of an unrecorded well near Highbury Hall in Kings Heath, and badgers at Moseley. As a protected species, their setts can only be moved at certain times of year. West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said the further delay was ‘disappointing’, but he pointed to ‘tangible progress’ at the stations, even though the complete project will now take ‘a little while longer’.

A new station will open between Ramsgate and Minster at the end of next month. Thanet Parkway has two 240m platforms suitable for 12-car trains, and will offer high speed services to London as well as trains to other places in Kent. The station, which opens on 31 July, will be equipped with ticket machines, lifts, CCTV, hearing loops, passenger help points, bike racks and 293 car park spaces, along with charging points. Acoustic barriers will help to absorb noise. Thanet Parkway is also a potential integrated transport hub. A new road provides a link to the station from the A299 Hengist Way. Cliffsend and Sevenscore level crossings have been upgraded at the same time. At Cliffsend the half barriers are being replaced with full barriers controlled from the East Kent Signalling Centre in Gillingham.  The station and level crossing works have been funded by the Department for Transport, the South East Local Enterprise Partnership, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Thanet District Council, East Kent Spatial Development Company and Kent County Council. The investment is part of Network Rail’s Thanet Corridor Enhancements Programme which includes upgrades to Dibleys, Ships Meadow and Grove Ferry crossings so that trains can run faster between Ashford, Canterbury West and Ramsgate. Network Rail’s Kent route director David Davidson said: ‘The opening of this station is testament to the collaborative working relationship between our partners, and Thanet Parkway will play a central role in helping boost the local economy and support tourism by providing connections to a wide range of leisure destinations. ‘I look forward to seeing the first passengers using Thanet Parkway and would like to thank the many colleagues involved who have worked so hard with our partners.’ Southeastern managing director Steve White added: ‘Working with our partners to enable the communities on our network to thrive is important to us, and Thanet Parkway will offer a live example of what can be achieved. All day high speed services to St Pancras and peak services to London Bridge, Cannon Street and Charing Cross will bring new opportunities to experience the area’s tourist attractions.’