Plans that would see the widespread closure of ticket offices go “too far, too fast”, cross-party MPs have warned.
The Commons Transport Committee has written to rail minister Huw Merriman to express its concern in particular about how office closures would impact on disabled passengers.
Ticket offices across the country face closure under controversial plans that unions and campaigners say will lead to job losses and difficulties for passengers such as the elderly and disabled in paying for travel.
In the letter, dated October 20 and signed by Conservative MP and committee chair Iain Stewart, MPs also express concern about the “unacceptable” lack of information about the proposals from operators, the Rail Delivery Group and the Department for Transport.
Mr Stewart told the minister: “We therefore consider that the proposals as put forward by train operating companies in this consultation go too far, too fast, towards a situation that risks excluding some passengers from the railway.
“At a minimum, changes this radical should be carefully piloted in limited areas and evaluated for their effect on all passengers before being rolled out.
“This would allow for the alternative proposals, which at present are too vague, to be properly understood.”
The letter notes that while it is acceptable for operators to adapt to changing passenger behaviour, many passengers have “legitimate concerns about whether closing a ticket office would remove the support they need”.
