Campaign against ticket office cuts at Crewkerne station

A handful of Crewkerne residents stood outside the station on Tuesday, August 23 with signs that said: “Cut their profits, not our ticket offices.”

The protest follows reports that the Government plans to close or “repurpose” nearly 1,000 ticket offices in England from September.

According to The Times, this will see paper tickets phased out in favour of online bookings as part of a cost-cutting scheme worth around £500 million a year.

Campaign group We Own It has joined forces with two trade unions (the RMT and the TSSA) to oppose ticket office closures.

The charity Age UK has also raised concerns about the threat of station ticket office closures as around three million people over 65 do not have internet access.

The Crewkerne residents gathered outside the town's train station to speak to rail users and make other local people aware of the campaign.

“Ticket offices are valuable community resources, helping users get the best value tickets.” Picture: Supplied by Ben Hartshorn

Ben Hartshorn, joint organiser of the Crewkerne station gathering, said: “Crewkerne ticket office has been under threat before, and it looks like it might happen again.

“Ticket offices are valuable community resources, helping users get the best value tickets which has not been easy since privatisation.

“Office staff keep the station clean and safe. They are invaluable for rail users who can't make use of ticket machines.”

In 2009, former Yeovil MP David Laws urged Crewkerne station passengers to “use the manned ticket office” to protect its future amid closure concerns.

A Crewkerne resident holds a sign outside the station's ticket office. Picture: Ben Hartshorn  

Crewkerne station is managed by South Western Railway. Its ticket office is open from 5.50am until 12.20pm on weekdays and 7.30am and 12.30pm on Saturdays.

A South Western Railway spokesperson has confirmed that no decisions have been taken about the closure of ticket offices across its network. 

Statistics from the Department for Transport (DfT)'s show that around one in eight transactions are made at ticket offices - down from one in three a decade ago. 

Despite this, it says the number of ticket stations in operation now is “broadly the same” as it was ten years ago.

A DfT spokesperson said: “No final decision has been taken on ticket offices. Station staff are vital for passengers’ safety and no currently staffed station will be unstaffed as a result of any reform.

“The reality is ticket offices have seen a significant decline in use over the last decade, and staff could be better directed to where customers need them most and helping passengers feel more safe.

“Passengers will always benefit from face-to-face assistance at train stations, and by making station staff more adaptable we will have a better railway for passengers and taxpayers.”