RMT Press Office:
RMT members have strongly condemned ticket office closure plans which will negatively affect the disabled and elderly and increase the understaffing of stations.
On International Day of Persons with Disabilities, RMT can reveal that 98% of ticket office staff who took part in our survey say government plans will mean accessing the network will be harder for the elderly and disabled.
A massive 98% think that closing ticket office and making passengers get tickets from machines or online will worsen disabled and elderly people’s access to the railway.
Ticket office staff also overwhelmingly dispute the Government’s suggestion that ticket office closures are about ‘getting staff from behind glass screens’ and instead 97% say the plans would in fact lead to less staffing at stations.
Nearly 80% have already experienced a reduction in staffing at their station in the last year.
Many disabled people cannot use online ticketing or ticket vending machines and rely on ticket offices to get the advice and ticket they need for their journey.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “The plan to close ticket and booking offices would be a travesty for disabled and elderly people who want to travel on the rail network.
“Our members are experts in knowing the needs of passengers and they know this ticket office closure programme will be a disaster for the travelling public.
“There has been opposition expressed from across the political spectrum and the government should see sense and scrap these damaging proposals.”
END
Notes: 996 RMT ticket office staff took part in the survey.
