HUNDREDS of local rail passengers protesting against proposed ticket office closures have signed a petition to Parliament calling for the plans to be reversed.
In a letter to its members the 1,400 strong Cotswold Line Promotion Group branded the proposals as ‘ill conceived and damaging’.
Across the country some 1,000 rail ticket offices would be closed under the scheme including eight on the Cotswold Line, which serves Evesham, Moreton-in-Marsh and Worcester.
Under the plans ticket offices at the GWR stations of Evesham, Moreton-in-Marsh ,Kingham and Charlbury together with all three ticket office windows at Worcestershire Parkway – only opened in 2020 – are due to be axed as early as June 2024.
West Midlands Trains station offices at Great Malvern, Malvern Link,Worcester Shrub Hill and Droitwich Spa would all be closed too with Worcester Foregate Street designated as just one of six ‘hub’ stations in the whole of the West Midlands.
So angry are passengers many are making individual representations following events held by local rail supporters at stations between Hereford and Oxford.
Many rail passengers have expressed their serious concerns to the Cotswold Line group regarding the loss of the vital first point of contact at the stations especially those needing help with their tickets and the best fares.
These include users with visual impairments or mobility issues needing special help as well as those unable to use ticket machines.
With the extended deadline for objections now looming, the CLPG – the second largest Rail Users Group in the country – is also urging users to sign the parliamentary petition by the closure of the consultation period on Friday September 1.
Group chairman Colin Major said; “We believe these ill conceived and damaging proposals will sadly deter those needing help from using the trains which form one of the most environmentally friendly forms of travel,
“We have received support from our local MPs along the line including West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin who has expressed her concerns about the process.
“She has called for an immediate review and for an independent assessor to study demand and footfall to ensure that local commuters and visitors are not deterred from using rail services.”
The online petition to force a parliamentary debate is at: hhtps://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/636542 while Transport Focus can be contacted on hhtps://www.transportfocus.org.uk.
Alternatively write to: Freepost, RTEH-XAGE-BYKZ, Transport Focus, PO Box 5594, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 9PZ
