Sally-Ann Hart MP recently met with a representative of Southern Rail at Rye station to discuss the proposed ticket office closures. Sally-Ann firmly believes that the ticket office in Rye should remain open. Rye is a unique town – a sought-after destination for tourists and history enthusiasts and loved by locals. It makes sense that the ticket office is kept open because of the services it provides, especially to Rye’s older demographic, and to support the tourism that the town depends on.
A ticket office, with face-to-face contact rather than a ticket machine, provides better services and accessibility for residents and visitors alike. Rye is not only a tourist town which attracts many visitors who use our rail service, it is also a hub with people travelling from surrounding villages to use the station. The existing service is very important to local schoolchildren, the elderly and disabled people. Ticket offices offer a human touch, helping travellers navigate ticket options, address complex travel needs and provide real-time information. This in-person contact is particularly valuable for those who are not familiar with technology or online purchases, have special requirements or need immediate assistance.
Sally-Ann said: “I will do all that I can to ensure that Rye station’s ticket office remains open. It is an important asset both to the community and those visiting our beautiful and ancient town. Due to the diversity of travellers and our local population demographic, I believe that closing the ticket office and only having staff on the platform will not work. The decision must not be based simply on the size and footfall at a station but on need. These rail companies seem to forget that towns like Rye are not fast-paced urban areas and that a significant number of people still use cash and want a human touch.“
Image Credits: Sally-Ann Hart .
I FULLY SUPPORT Sally-Ann Hart on the proposed closure of Rye Rail stations ticket office.
I am an 80 year old pensioner and have lived in Rye all my life using the railway during that time frequently, my wife, Yvonne and myself are now using it more often and would find using an automatic machine rather difficult for us and i’m sure for many others, we need this ticket office in our town of Rye to stay open, it is a busy station used by many tourists as well as local people. Ernest Vicarey
When I was 16 years old living at Rye Harbour l remember no ticket at all at the station, we used to hop on the train without paying (naughty I know) and get of at Ore station also without a ticket office and walk into Hastings ,(again naughty) but in those days we had to improvise as we had no money. I do miss the old day’s !!
Congratulations and thanks to Sally-Ann for engaging with Southern Rail on our behalf.
There’s usually a small queue waiting to get tickets whenever I’ve been into the station, and I’m sure those of us over 75, say, and tourists leaving it till the last minute, would be at a tiresome disadvantage if the facility was snatched away.
Is Sally-Ann Hart talking to the right people? Southern, like all other contracted Train Operating Companies, are only following the dictat which is emanating from the Department for Transport in the belief, not proven and questionable as the Treasury apparently do not connect cost savings to consequential loss of revenue, that this will lower the running cost of the railway. Perhaps Huw Merriman may be a better starting point?
I was interested to read that Southern Rail is being urged to KEEP the Rye ticket office open! Although the published opening times are 5.40 to 19.05 most days, I have hardly EVER found it open! When it’s closed, there is nothing to show when it will reopen.
I would think there should be a way of contacting a ticket information service would be more helpful for trævellers who need assistance.