Disability rights campaigners and charities for disabled people rejoiced at the news that the proposed closure of ticket offices at train stations had been shelved.
Alt text: a picture of the concourse of a train station showing the ticket office and ticket machines
But ministers and train firms have been reluctant to rule out closures in the future. The Rail Delivery Group Limited (RDG) who represent Network Rail and private passenger rail companies still intend to make reforms which could include the closure of at least some ticket offices.
Jacqueline Starr, Chief Executive of the RDG said in a statement: "These proposals were about adapting the railway to the changing needs of customers. At a time when the use of ticket offices is irreversibly declining, we also want to give our people more enriching and rewarding careers geared towards giving passengers more visible face-to-face support."
Plans to create a single “welcome point” at stations where trained staff would provide help and advice to passengers has been met with skepticism by Transport Focus who said: “These proposals must be piloted to establish what works best at different types of stations and how passengers react to them.”
Duncan Cameron, 45, a full-time wheelchair user from Sheffield, voiced concerns about being unable to speak to a member of staff: "Travelling as a wheelchair user is really hard and any point of contact is really valuable. If I'm doing a long distance trip there are discounts offered by the ticket office; the only way to do this if you don't claim benefits, which I don't."
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