Andy Burnham writes to Transport Secretary over ticket office closures

Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, has written to Transport Secretary Mark Harper, calling for his intervention over proposals that would see manned ticket offices across the region closed.

Proposals being consulted on by rail companies nationwide will, if implemented, see manned ticket offices closed and staff redeployed into more multi-functional customer support roles.

In Stockport, Avanti West Coast, has proposed closing the ticket office at Stockport station, as well as at Manchester Piccadilly and the West Coast Mainline’s terminus in the capital, Euston. Northern, which operates smaller local stations throughout Greater Manchester has also earmarked the closure of manned ticket offices at all its Stockport stations. In total, 58 stations across Greater Manchester are set to lose their manned ticket offices if plans go ahead in full.

Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, has hit out at plans, describing them as ‘wholly inadequate’ and called on the Transport Secretary to intervene as a 21-day consultation on plans moves forward.

In his letter, published on the GMCA website, Andy Burnham said:

“In Greater Manchester alone, 58 stations face the closure of their ticket office, often coupled with dramatic reductions in the times staff will be on hand to assist passengers. 

“Passengers and staff have been taken aback by the scale of the proposed changes. To announce them without prior warning and head straight into a 21-day consultation period feels wholly inadequate to an issue of this seriousness and feels like they are being railroaded through.

“Given the disproportionate levels of disruption and poor services that rail customers in the North continue to suffer, a highly visible and reassuring staff presence has never been more important. If implemented, these proposals would further damage the confidence of passengers in our railways at precisely the time when we are all seeking to attract more people to use public transport and rebuild vital revenue.”

Mayor Burnham has also threatened legal action over Northern’s conduct should Mark Harper not step in, arguing that the rail operating company (which is under the control of the government’s Operator of Last Resort) has failed to undertake an adequate Equalities Impact Assessment of its proposals ahead of the consultation, to consider how plans would affect disadvantaged groups, such as those with disabilities and older people who may struggle to use electronic and digital alternatives. He continued:

“I am particularly concerned that the consultation by Northern Trains Limited is being conducted without the publication of an Equalities Impact Assessment (EQIA) to help inform consultation responses. I note that their Public Consultation Document states they are carrying out an EQIA across the stations where they are proposing to make changes and as part of that work they will speak to stakeholder groups that represent their customers. The final assessment will be made available following the completion of the consultation process.

“However, in order for consultees to provide a meaningful response to the consultation, they will need to have an understanding of the potential impacts of the proposals on customers, particularly disabled people and older people, and any proposed mitigations. Whilst the consultation document provides information about how tickets can be purchased post change, the adequacy of this proposal is difficult to assess without seeing the outcome of an EQIA. Given the importance of ensuring any changes adequately consider the needs of all passengers, I am calling for Northern’s consultation process to be suspended with immediate effect until at least a provisional EQIA has been published to inform responses. Such is the seriousness of this issue, if you are unable to accede to this request, I will have no option but to consider what legal remedies are available.

“I am also concerned that, given the far reaching nature of the proposals and the immense detail involved at individual station level, 21 days is clearly insufficient time for the public and statutory consultees to be meaningfully consulted. Whilst I acknowledge this is the timescale required by the legal framework, given the far-reaching impact of this, I do not believe this is fit for purpose and am calling for a more reasonable consultation period to be put in place across the industry.”

Mr Burnham’s comments echo the sentiment of other stakeholders who have expressed their concerns in the plans. Sub-national transport body for the region, Transport for the North, also urged that decisions to close ticket offices not disadvantage any station users, particularly with light to accessibility and safety concerns, and also called for wider investment alongside any changes, such as into expanding the rollout of pay-as-you-go ticketing as is available in Greater London and surrounding areas and being trialled in parts of Greater Manchester later this year.

Stockport Council’s Liberal Democrat Cabinet have also spoken out in opposition to plans. In a statement on the Stockport Lib Dems website, Cllr Grace Baynham, Cabinet Member with responsibilities including transport, urged local residents to respond to Northern’s consultation; she said:

“We are dismayed by the proposal to close all ticket offices across Stockport. Ticket offices are a vital resource – they are were our residents can speak to someone for guidance with their travel plans, especially for those who don’t have easy access to the internet and other e-ticketing options. They are also the place people seeking wider assistance know that they can find a staff member, rather than searching across the various platforms of a station.

“The Lib Dems on Stockport Council successfully moved a motion opposing these proposals back in October last year. As a result we wrote to the Secretary of State, making clear our objections, and called various stakeholders to a Scrutiny meeting last November, but the government are still pressing ahead.

“We now urge residents to make their feelings known by responding to the consultation via www.northernrailway.co.uk/consultation-2023 or by writing to Transport Focus, the independent watchdog for transport users, at Freepost RTEH-XAGE-BYKZ, Transport Focus, PO Box 5594, Southend on Sea, SS1 9PZ, so that we can try to save all of our ticket offices.”