Nearly every railway ticket office in England set to close with number of job losses unknown

Plans to close nearly every railway station ticket office across England have been officially announced with the number of job cuts unknown.

Sky News reported on Tuesday that plans for the mass closure of ticket offices were expected today.

Now, the train company representative, the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), has made the announcement, which it says is in an effort to reduce costs as passenger numbers are the lowest since 2002 and revenue is 30% below pre-COVID levels

Nearly all ticket offices could be shut with only the busiest stations left with open person-operated ticket facilities with the RDG unable to say how many jobs could be lost.

“We can’t prejudge the outcome of the consultations,” the group said.

Each regional train operating company will publish public closure consultation details on their website, Sky News understands.

Ticket office staff affected by closures will be given the option of moving to a new “multi-skilled” role with training provided, the RDG said, with train companies engaging constructively with unions to manage the transition.

The RDG said it hopes affected staff will naturally leave their jobs, move to different roles, or choose a voluntary exit scheme.

Any shutting of ticket offices is subject to a three-week public consultation period. Once that period has ended there will be discussions with staff and unions.

Closing all the offices will be done over three years.

Roughly three out of every five English stations have a ticket office – the vast majority of which are owned and run by the train operators.

There are 1,007 stations in England run by train companies operating under contracts issued by the government.

Posters are being displayed at the vast majority of these today informing passengers about the potential closure of the ticket office.

‘Unnecessary’ move ‘hugely detrimental’

Unions and disability advocates have long opposed the closures.

They argue getting rid of ticket offices will lead to job losses, anti-social behaviour, and make it more difficult for wheelchair users or blind people to access trains.

It could also mean passengers are less likely to travel by train at night, opponents say.

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) said the closures would be “hugely detrimental” for blind and partially sighted people.

Transport Salaried Staffs Association interim general secretary, Peter Pendle, said: “We are clear the government will face strong opposition from this union on the totally unnecessary mass closure of ticket offices.

“Ministers will soon realise that the public have no desire to see their rail network diminished in this way.”

Only 12% still use ticket offices, industry says

Ticket office closures were a part of the reason for strikes by several unions over the past year.

But the RDG says the facilities are no longer necessary as only 12% of train tickets are bought from offices at stations, down from 85% in 1995.

The proposals will increase, not reduce, the “proportion of staff” available to help customers, it added.

“Customers will always be able to access in person help at a station,” the industry group insisted.

Closing ticket offices will mean staff are “more visible and readily available to support customers on platforms and
station concourses, helping plan journeys, use ticket machines and being visible to deter anti-social behaviour,” the RDG said.

Passengers who currently use ticket offices will instead have to buy tickets using self-service machines, from staff on the concourse or on trains, or by contactless card payments at ticket barriers once the closures come into effect.

It’s not yet known when the first closures will take place.