Cumberland Council is formally responding to the public consultation initiated by the Rail Delivery Group regarding the proposed closure of ticket offices and changes to staff roles at various train stations.
At its Full Council meeting today (Tuesday 25 July), Members expressed their deep concern over the proposed changes and highlighted the potential negative impacts on passengers, particularly vulnerable groups and those with accessibility needs.
The consultation, which was launched on the 5 July, allowed a very limited timeframe of just three weeks for responses, raising concerns about the sufficiency of the consultation process to gather comprehensive feedback from stakeholders.
The proposed changes are expected to affect several stations within the Cumberland area, including Northern stations in Workington and Whitehaven, as well as the Avanti West Coast station in Carlisle. Cumberland Council's response is based on local evidence and is in alignment with the supporting responses submitted by the Local Enterprise Partnership transport and infrastructure group and Transport for the North. Transport for the North emphasised the need for holistic reform, considering the needs of all station users and local communities.
Cumberland Council's response to the consultation includes the following key points:
- Health and Wellbeing concerns: Ticket Offices provide services beyond just ticketing, they provide a focused safe point to seek assistance. This support is crucial for passengers' well-being.
- Inadequate timeframe: The limited response window of just three weeks raises concerns about the fairness and inclusivity of the consultation process.
- Accessibility and safety: De-staffing stations, including security personnel, raises concerns about accessibility for all passengers, especially those with disabilities, and may affect the safety of station premises.
- Ticketing issues: Currently ticket vending machines only sell the products of the Train Operating Company that operates the station together with Network Rail tickets.
- Confidence in rail: Considering the current low levels of public confidence in rail travel, the rushed timing of these closures may further erode trust in the railway system which will have an impact both on the economy and decarbonisation.
- Mobile ticketing challenges: Requiring customers to access products solely through phones or screens without understanding how to link tickets may lead to difficulties for some passengers.
- Maintenance of ticket machines: There are concerns about ticket machine maintenance when no station staff are present on-site.
Cumberland Council acknowledges that all stations will still have at least one ticket machine, but the ability to offer different tickets may not be clear to infrequent or regular users, potentially leading to issues with value for money and ticket purchasing options. The council is also concerned about the lack of Equality Impact Assessments for Northern and requests clarity on how vulnerable passengers will receive access support outside the planned station opening times.
Councillors highlighted the disparity between the national figure (12%) of passengers using ticket offices and the local figures (31% in Whitehaven and 24% in Workington), indicating the importance of ticket office services in the Cumberland region.
Cllr Denise Rollo, Cumberland Council’s Executive Member for Sustainable, Resilient and Connected Places, said: “Cumberland Council firmly believes that these proposals would have harmful impacts on residents and would disproportionately affect elderly and disabled passengers. We are calling for clarity on job security and resources in the face of potential job losses due to the proposed changes.
“We are urging Transport Focus and the Rail Delivery Group to reconsider these proposals, taking into account the concerns and needs of the local communities. We stand firm in our commitment to ensuring safe, accessible, and inclusive public transport services for all residents of Cumberland.”