Govia Thameslink’s consultation process on the closure of ticket offices has been extended to September 1. That means there is only one more week in which to lodge objections.
Southern Railway says that its proposal “forms part of plans to modernise the railway and bring it into line with modern consumer expectations. It reflects significantly reduced usage of ticket offices over the past decade as customers move to alternative, more convenient ways of buying tickets.”
The service provided by staff at Rye station is unfailingly friendly and well-informed. Only yesterday, I attempted to book a day return journey to Ashford on the National Rail website. For whatever reason and to my frustration, it failed to respond and I was very relieved to be able to buy it in person at the ticket office.
The Rye station ticket office is for many people very much a part of the Rye experience and I would urge all those who use the railway to register their objections to this proposal by emailing: ticketoffice.GTR@transportfocus.org.uk or writing a letter to: Freepost: RTEH-XAGE-BYKZ, Transport Focus, PO Box 5594, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 9PZ
Image Credits: Chris Lawson .
This is not some remote rural ticket office with little or no use.
Rye is a key SE tourist hub. Connections by train to resorts to the West even to Gatwick Airport. To the East and into London. Immediately outside the equivalent of a bus terminal with routes to the ports
People need a staffed office as the personnel are key to assisting, not just selling but advising the very many that need it. A machine cannot give advice or choices.
Do not close this station
Well said John. We live in Rye but don’t use the railway as much as I would like but definitely need ticket office and helpful staff because cannot always get tickets online. The station is part of Rye and should never close. Brings in lots of trade too.
This is so wrong and short sighted
This ticket office and staff are really needed . Come on rye people ! Fight for what your rights are and fight for this . Show solid support now .
FYI I live in Hastings but have worked in rye for many years , I am also fighting for battle ticket office
It’s now or never
IF the staff are on hand on the platform rather than behind a screen in the ticket office I cannot see anything wrong with that
All good comments above- please send to the railway too. Here’s what I sent:
I wish to express my deep concerns regarding the proposed ticket office closures, particularly in Rye, my local station, for the following reasons:
1. Moving ticket office staff to ‘other areas of the station’ will simply make it harder to locate them when in a hurry to get a ticket or ask for assistance. If they remain in the office people know exactly where they are!
2. Making everyone do online / digital purchases is age-discriminatory. A great many older people and others are not able to buy tickets online. I am able to but prefer to buy at the ticket office because:
a) I prefer having a paper copy in case my phone battery goes
b) they often know about better/ cheaper routes – even more so than the online apps I have found.
3. The ticket machines often do not work especially in strong sunlight.
4. The cynic in me thinks this is actually just a ploy to cut staff. However, what may hold sway is that the rail network is simply going to lose a lot of revenue as people increasingly turn away from trains as a mode of travel if it is difficult to buy a ticket.
Please listen to your customers
This comment sums up eloquently and concisely the overwhelming reasons why ticket offices should be retained. Very well said.
Thanks Cecilia!
A little heartened to read today that ‘public revolt could derail plan to scrap ticket offices’-so keep the protests coming.
Thank heavens that the Department for Transport have relented and “requested” the train companies to withdraw “their” proposals for closure of ticket offices. So ticket offices will thankfully remain open – for the time being. The amount of public pressure – over 750,000 representations made – (and that there is a general election on the horizon?) seems to have done the trick. For now.