Chiltern Railways opens consultation amidst Government plans for mass ticket office closures

Chiltern Railways is inviting the public to comment on plans to remove ticket offices from its stations.

Following the news that the Government’s plans for modernised public transport services include removing ticketing stations and promoting contactless train ticket payments, the rail provider has asked for public feedback.

Chiltern Railways is considering closing its ticket offices and moving staff into “multi-skilled ‘customer help’ roles”.

Currently, the rail provider already uses its staff in this way at Bicester Village and Oxford Parkway Stations.

Nationally, this move has faced criticism from union bosses over fears that it will eventually lead to the loss of jobs.

Chiltern Railways says this would in fact move staff closer to passengers, as they would already be in public areas.

Without ticket office access customers would be expected to purchase tickets beforehand online or via mobile apps, and ticket machines would still be available at the stations.

Recent data released by the Government shows that in 1995 85 per cent of purchased their tickets at an office, but that number has plummeted to 12 per cent on average in 2023.

Chiltern Railways states: “Bringing staff out from offices would allow the railway to respond to that generational shift in customer behaviour, in common with many other industries and organisations that have long since done so, such as Transport for London, most airlines, banks and supermarkets.”

Outside of job loss fears, the other major criticism of nation-wide modernisation plans has related to the impact this move would have on disabled customers.

Vivienne Francis, chief social change officer at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) said: “A mass closure of rail ticket offices would have a hugely detrimental impact on blind and partially sighted people’s ability to buy tickets, arrange assistance and, critically, travel independently.

“RNIB research shows that only 3% of people with sight loss said they could use a ticket vending machine without problems and 58% said it was impossible."

To comment on the plans customers are being directed to email Transport Focus here or London TravelWatch here.

Responses can be posted to: Transport Focus, PO Box 5594, Southend on Sea, SS1 9PZ.

Mick Lynch criticised the impact the move would have on the railway workforce and the disabled community when the plans were leaked last week.

The RMT general secretary said: “The train operating companies and the Government must understand that we will vigorously oppose any moves to close ticket offices.

“We will not meekly sit by and allow thousands of jobs to be sacrificed or see disabled and vulnerable passengers left unable to use the railways as a result.”

Several stations under the Chiltern Railways umbrella, near to Aylesbury, will be accepting contactless payments moving forward.

Yesterday (4 July), the Department from Transport announced that 53 stations in the south of England will be offering a tap-on-tap-off service before the end of 2023.

This move which is using £20 million of Government funding is linked to the larger plans to modernise the UK’s train service.