Save our ticket offices

Birmingham Liberal Democrats are campaigning to save the train station ticket offices in Birmingham from closing. 

West Midlands Railway propose to close almost all ticket offices in the region, meaning that many staff will lose their jobs, and the office doors will be closed. This is part of a move to close ticket offices across the country. 

Group Leader Roger Harmer commented: "I am alarmed by the fact that people have had just 3 weeks to respond to this consultation. This does not give enough time for people to think through how this might impact them and their dependants. 

“At this time of year, lots of people are on holiday. Parents and children are focused on finishing the school year. It’s a busy time. Giving people just three weeks to respond to a consultation means that many people will not have the time to think this through. 

“Come September, parents will be putting their 11-year-old children onto trains, bound for new schools. Staff to help guide them to the right platform and train are crucial. 

“There are many people that need extra support to board trains. From wheelchair users to cyclists, having expert staff on hand is not just a comfort, it can be a necessity.”

“There’s also tourists needing help to plan a journey, and the many people who don’t use a smartphone, as well as the million people in the UK who don’t have a bank account – how will they purchase tickets?” 

The Birmingham Liberal Democrats are calling for an extension to the consultation period, and more thought on how train staff support the community. 

A Lib Dem staff member added "I use the trains several times a week and I regularly see the vital service that staff offer to customers, especially vulnerable people and those unable to access services in other ways. There is so much that just hadn't been thought through about this proposal. We must fight to protect this vital service for our community."

“We will continue to campaign on this issue, but time is against us. The consultation ends on Wednesday 26 July, and we will only be heard if we respond in number. We encourage Birmingham residents to respond to the consultation here: 

https://www.transportfocus.org.uk/train-station-ticket-office-consultation/