Extension of Rail Station Ticket Office Closures consultation
The rail industry’s very short July consultation on nation-wide ticket office closures was extended, on the closing day, till Sept 1st.
Unfortunately, this did not fit in with any local parish magazine editorial deadlines, meaning that we couldn’t share this with you on paper. We did write via email to all those on our Rail User Group list.
Our Rail User Group response to the consultation can be seen here.
We emphasized that the new proposed arrangements make no convincing case concerning the exclusion of the one in ten passengers who currently rely on human beings at ticket offices to purchase their tickets, and for whom digital exclusion stands to disincentivize use of the railway – all at a time when public transport is still struggling to regain ridership post-Covid, and when increasing digitalization of public services is intensifying isolation for those who don’t use the internet or carry a smart phone.
Meanwhile on a more positive note, our three stations have looked lovely all summer – thanks due to the station garden volunteers who work 52 weeks per year to keep the flowerpots watered, which in turn seems to enthuse all station users to do their bit to maintain a well-looked after environment.
Please do choose to travel by train whenever you can!
Susan van de Ven and Sarah Grove,
Meldreth Shepreth and Foxton Community Rail Partnership
