Five Northern Mayors have confirmed that they will be taking legal action against the train operators over proposals to close ticket offices across the region
“It is time to stop this relentless move towards faceless and cashless customer service” said Andy Burnham during a press conference this morning
While the rail operators say that 88 per cent of tickets are sold online, it suggests that people who buy the other 12 per cent of tickets don’t matter.
The Mayors believe that disabled people are less likely to be online than others and that ticket machines at many stations are physically inaccessible to them. The Mayors also say that the people who staff our ticket offices do a lot more than sell tickets.
“Any regular train traveller knows they do far more than that.”
Steve Rotheram, Liverpool’s Metro Mayor, the said the privatised rail system is a mess and the claims made by the Government is on shakey ground –
The Mayors question the ticket office sales figures that the train operators are quoting and the people that will be effected included the disabled and people that do not posess bank cards and internet access
“Rethink this and go back to the drawing board or we will take action” says Rotheram while West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin described the consulation as an absolute shambles, the Mayors believe that having taken legal advice, the consulation period is wholly inadequate
This is not a redesign of services but it is simply cuts says South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard who added that people need to be using public transport
The five Mayor’s have written to the rail Companies and will be awaiting their reply before taking the next steps
