Railway station ticket offices in Portsmouth, Fareham and Havant saved as plans to close them axed in “U-turn”

Transport secretary Mark Harper said the Government has asked train operators to withdraw their proposals, which were brought forward due to pressure from ministers to cut costs. Politicians, including Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan – shadow minister for rail – have been campaigning against the closures, with councillors debating the issue earlier this month.

He said there were 750,000 responses to the public consultation – launched in the summer – with 99 per cent of them being objections. He told The News: ”Portsmouth people will be hugely relieved to hear the Government has finally seen sense and scrapped their shambolic plans which would have accessibility and jobs across our railways at risk.

NOW READ: Anger over plans to close rail ticket offices at stations

"It is a shame that Ministers had to waste so much time and taxpayers' money to realise what local people and charities have been saying all along. I will always stand up against cost-cutting measures that make life harder for my constituents.

"Passengers in Portsmouth and across the country deserve better than the chaos of this Tory Government.” Rail companies argued that the changes would save costs and reflects how most customers buy tickets – while also allowing businesses to change their staffing hours.

Opponents argued services would be spread too thin, staff would be needlessly axed and customers who rely on the ticket office – including those with disabilities and other medical conditions – would be left out in the cold.

Watchdogs Transport Focus and London TravelWatch announced they opposed every single planned closure due to issues such as the impact on accessibility. Mr Harper said: “We have engaged with accessibility groups throughout this process and listened carefully to passengers as well as my colleagues in Parliament.

"The proposals that have resulted from this process do not meet the high thresholds set by ministers, and so the Government has asked train operators to withdraw their proposals.” Train operators and their regulatory body the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) brought forward the proposals following pressure from the government to save money amid the drop in revenue caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

A train operator source said: “There is quiet fury in the rail industry about where we’ve got to. The plan was signed off by civil servants and ministers. They’ve U-turned.”

Prime minister Rishi Sunak suggested closing ticket offices was “the right thing for the British public”. Transport Focus and London TravelWatch reviewed each proposal to close a ticket office based on criteria relating to customer service, accessibility and cost-effectiveness, before deciding whether or not to object.

Anthony Smith, Transport Focus chief executive, said “significant amendments” were secured, such as reverting to existing staffing times at many stations, but “serious overall concerns remain” over issues including how so-called welcome points would work, how operators would sell a “full range” of tickets, and how excessive queues at ticket machines would be avoided.

SEE ALSO: Portsmouth railway station ticket office closures up for debate as city councillors express their concerns

Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union general secretary Mick Lynch said described the cancelled plans as a “resounding victory”. Katie Pennick, campaigns manager at accessibility charity Transport for All, said: “While we are proud of the incredible tenacity of disabled people and our community for securing this major campaign victory, the outcome is bittersweet.

“The disastrous and discriminatory proposals should never have been put forward.”