Sussex railway ticket office cuts proposal: Fears that crime will increase at stations

Transport watchdogs London TravelWatch and Transport Focus last week launched a three-week public consultation on behalf of rail operators across the country, including Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), ‘to consider how tickets are sold and to improve customer service in the future’.

GTR operates Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern services.

The public consultation, which closes on July 26, has been launched to seek the views of the public about the proposals, which are said to have been launched to ‘improve customer service and reflect how customers now buy tickets’.

In Adur, every railway ticket office would close if new government plans are given the green light.

Tim Loughton, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, said: “I think it’s nuts. I got up in the House of Commons last week, when there was an announcement from the transport minister, to ask ‘has this really been thought through?’

"There are a lot of people who rely on the ticket offices, speaking to someone face to face. They may have disabilities, they may need extra help with complicated routes.

"There are some tickets you can’t buy online or in the ticket machines – when they are working.”

GTR said the proposal is to move ticket office colleagues out from behind traditional ticket office windows, which would close, onto station concourses

A spokesperson added: “The aim is to improve customer service and better reflect how most passengers now buy tickets – nine in 10 purchases are outside of traditional ticket offices.

“No station that is staffed today would become unstaffed; in-person help would still be available and accessibility support will continue.”

Catherine Arnold, Adur’s Labour councillor for St Mary's ward, said the move is ‘likely to prompt more industrial action’, whilst ‘increasing crime rates and make travelling difficult for passengers’ – ‘hitting people’s ability to travel independently’.

The councillor, who will be joining a protest at Shoreham Railway Station on Thursday morning (July 13), added: “We are strongly opposed to the closure of Adur’s ticket offices in Lancing, Shoreham and Southwick. Rushing this decision in just three weeks, without proper consideration for staff redeployment, nor for vulnerable passengers, only risks exacerbating the managed decline of the rail network.

"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.

“Booking office staff are vital because they give passengers advice and assistance on ticket information, station security and can assist the elderly as well as people with disabilities, limited mobility or young children. Some passengers – such as women travelling alone – and workers could be exposed to a greater risk of violence.”

Jenny Saunders, Customer Services Director for GTR said the proposed changes ‘reflect that the way customers buy tickets has changed significantly in recent years’ – with ‘most people now buying online or from ticket machines’. Click here to read more.

She added: “No final decisions have been made, so we really want to hear the views, questions and ideas that customers may have, and we’d encourage everyone to feed back directly to London TravelWatch and Transport Focus by July 26.”

It is proposed that 18 of GTR’s ‘largest and busiest’ stations will have the ability to open their ticket offices to retail specialist tickets. These are proposed to be; Bedford; Brighton; Chichester; Eastbourne; East Croydon; Finsbury Park; Haywards Heath; Horsham; Huntingdon; King’s Lynn; London Blackfriars; London Victoria; Luton Airport Parkway; St Albans City; Stevenage; Sutton; Welwyn Garden City and Worthing.

If these proposals go ahead, GTR said it would continue to provide assistance in line with its Accessible Travel Policy (ATP) commitments; ‘for example, turn-up-and-go support such as ramp access for disabled customers’.

In-person assistance would still be available to support customers purchasing from ticket machines and to support the safety and security of stations, for example by being a presence to deter anti-social behaviour.

"The consultation is only only for three weeks, which I think is pretty poor,” Mr Loughton added.

"This is not a good idea, this is not progress for the train operating companies to not have ticket offices. I just don’t think it’s going to work. Please make sure you respond to the consultation.

“I’m going to be at Lancing Station around 12pm on Friday (July 13) with local councillors to stage a protest.

"So far, everyone who has written to me is rather worried. This is not a good idea. So add your voice. We absolutely need everybody to respond.”

To feedback, customers should directly email or write to the relevant watchdog for their station. The details of this can be found on GTR’s websites alongside the current and proposed ticketing assistance hours for their station. Responses directly to GTR cannot be considered.

Printed copies of the consultation information that is available on GTR’s websites can be requested at staffed stations and alternative formats are available by calling 0345 026 4700 or textphone 0800 138 1018.