Anger over plans to close rail ticket offices at stations in Portsmouth, Havant and Fareham

A public consultation has been launched into proposals by rail operators which would see ticket offices close and staff moved to work on station concourses instead at a number of railway stations including Portsmouth and Southsea, Havant and Fareham. The move comes has been made to ‘better reflect how most passengers now buy tickets’, rail operators say. It also says it means staff will be better placed to provide advice about fares, help customers by tickets online or at ticket machines as well as provide better accessibility assistance such as such as ramp access for disabled customers. It also hoped their presence on the platforms will deter anti-social behaviour.

There will also be some changes for the hours stations will be staffed, with some having better coverage than now and others fewer hours of staffing.

If approved staffing at stations in and around the city would be:

• Bedhampton – 6am to 10am Monday to Thursday, 9am to 1pm on Sundays. Unstaffed on Fridays and Saturdays.
• Cosham – 6am (6.30am on Mondays) to 11.30 and 3.30pm to 7.30pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 4.30pm on Saturdays. Unstaffed on Sundays.
• Emsworth – 6.30am to 10am, unstaffed at weekends.
• Fareham – 5.20am to 11pm Monday to Saturday, 6am to 10.30pm on Sunday.
• Fratton – 5am to 11pm Monday to Saturday, 6am to 10pm on Sunday.
• Havant – 5am to 10.30pm Monday to Saturday, 6am to 10.30pm Sunday.
• Hilsea – unstaffed, no change.
• Petersfield – 6am to 10pm Monday to Saturday, 9am to 7pm Sunday.
• Portchester – 6am to 10am Monday to Thursday, 9am to 1pm Sundays, unstaffed Friday and Saturday.
• Portsmouth and Southsea – 24 hour staffing, 7 days a week.
• Portsmouth Harbour – 24 hour staffing, 7 days a week.
• Rowlands Castle – 6am to 10am Tuesday to Friday, 9am to 1pm Saturday, unstaffed Monday and Sunday.
• Southbourne – 6.35am to 1.10pm Mondays to Saturday, unstaffed Sunday.
• Swanwick – 6am to 10am Tuesday to Friday, 9am to 1pm Saturday, unstaffed Monday and Sunday.

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Claire Mann, managing director, South Western Railway, said: ‘Our station colleagues play a vital role in delivering a positive customer experience. This proposal recognises their talent and dedication by opening up opportunities for career progression and comprehensive re-skilling.

‘By multi-skilling our colleagues, we can offer a customer service that aligns with what customers actually want and need, in line with their expectations from modern retailing.

‘Technology has already enabled significant change at our stations, with 75 per cent of passenger journeys made using smart media today. Our proposal simply seeks to build on these existing trends.’

However the The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has criticised the plans saying the rail ticket office closures are ‘to squeeze out cash for shareholders by cutting services to the bone’.

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: ‘Safety will be worse, customer care will be worse, disabled passengers will find travel harder, and thousands of people could lose their jobs.’

For more details on the proposals visit southwesternrailway.com/stationchange and to take part in the consultation visit transportfocus.org.uk.

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The public consultations on behalf of rail operators runs until July 26.