Rail operator seeks views on ticket office changes

East Midlands Railway has launched a public consultation on nationwide plans to move staff from ticket offices into stations.

Train companies across the country, including EMR, are seeking views on the proposals, which would see staff move out of ticket offices and onto station platforms, concourses and ticket halls, adopting new ‘customer help’ roles.

The plans come following a fall in the number of people using ticket offices.

It is argued that the proposals would help bring station retailing up to date from the mid-1990s, when the rules on how to sell tickets were set and before the invention of the smartphone.

Back then, over 80% of all tickets were sold at ticket offices, compared to just 12% nationally and less than 5% at EMR stations on average today.

Independent passenger watchdogs Transport Focus and London Travel Watch are facilitating the 21-day consultation for passengers, which could see the closure of a number of ticket offices across the network as staff move out from behind the glass.

Jac Starr, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group, said: “The way our customers buy tickets has changed and it’s time for the railway to change with them.

“Our proposals would mean more staff on hand on to give face-to-face help with a much wider range of needs, from journey planning, to finding the right ticket and helping those with accessibility needs.

“Our commitment is that we will always treat our staff, who are hugely valued, fairly, with support and extra training to move into new, rewarding and varied roles and we will never compromise on safety.

“We also understand that our customers have differing needs which is why train companies will be consulting widely with accessibility and passenger groups to take on board their views.”

In a statement, EMR said: “EMR is committed to smoothing the transition of moving staff closer to customers, and the proposed changes would be phased in gradually.

“Ticket selling facilities will remain open at the busiest stations and interchanges, selling the full range of tickets while the transition takes place.

“Following these changes, if a customer is unable to buy a specific ticket before boarding the train because it was unavailable at the station, they would be able to buy one during their journey, at a ticket office enroute, or at their destination.

“Alongside the public consultation on ticket offices, a range of options will be created for staff affected, including moving to a new skilled role and comprehensive re-training and re-skilling, and EMR will continue to engage constructively with unions at a local level to manage the transition in a way that works best for staff.”

Views should be submitted to ticketoffice.emr@transportfocus.org.uk.

Alternatively, write freepost to RTEH-XAGE-BYKZ, Transport Focus, PO Box 5594, Southend on Sea, SS1 9PZ. The closing date for submissions is 26 July.

For more information about the consultation, visit http://www.transportfocus.org.uk .

For more details on how the proposals could affect EMR stations visit https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/modernisation-consultation .