St Helens ticket officers worry about redundancies after closure plans

As reported by the Star earlier this month, it was announced that hundreds of ticket offices will close across the country within the next three years, under plans to modernise the railway and cut costs across the industry.

With all of the borough's stations managed by Northern Rail, the operator has proposed to close all ticket offices except for St Helens Central.

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Newton-le-Willows will lose its ticket office under the plans, despite being the borough's busiest station (Image: St Helens Star)

This has caused a huge backlash in St Helens, particularly as the £18.95m investment of Newton-le-Willows' station in 2019 has resulted it in becoming the busiest station in the borough.

With construction work currently ongoing, there is also the £15m investment planned to bring "first class facilities" to Lea Green station, which would be left without a ticket office by the time it is completed.

While mobile tickets have become much more popular than the traditional ticket office in recent years, there are also concerns about how the plans will impact elderly, disabled, or partially sighted people. 

For those working at train stations, there is also the extra worry of how the closures will affect their livelihoods.

Lea Green's new station will be built without a ticket office under the plans (Image: Google Maps)

This is the case for one St Helens employee, who has dedicated 20 years of his life to one of the borough's ticket offices, and said that the plans came as a complete shock to him and his colleagues. 

The ticket officer and father-of-two, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: "I'm still in shock, to be honest.

"I was away on holiday when the plans were announced and I just couldn't believe it. We were never warned about anything.

"We've been told that some stations will have ticket officers stood on the platform for three hours in the morning, but that's not enough.

"I've got four or five years left on my mortgage, that's my worry, because you'd think there will be redundancies too.

"Things aren't as busy as they used to be, but I still get people coming to me every day who can't use their phone or the ticket machines, or because they've stopped working.

"It's a worry for everyone."

Cllr Seve Gomez-Aspron has criticised the plans (Image: St Helens Council)

While a three-week consultation period has been organised following the announcement in early July, the proposals to close hundreds of ticket offices have been heavily criticised by many quarters in the borough.

St Helens Borough Council, Cllr Gomez-Aspron, cabinet member for strategic transport, said: “Public and passenger reassurance is heavily reliant on a public-facing member of staff, particularly the elderly and people with disabilities and mobility issues, so to close all but one ticket office here has the potential to take away the independence of a large number of residents who rely on public transport.   

“As a council, we recognise the significant influence our borough has played throughout history - arguably being the birthplace of the railway - which is why we have successfully lobbied for improvements in our infrastructure, resulting in state-of-the-art stations at Newton-le-Willows and Lea Green which is being built now with a ticket office that will never open.   

"They've closed the ticket offices in most cases before the consultation period has even started.

"I call on the government to reconsider these unpopular plans and would urge residents to take part in the consultation to make their feelings known too.”   

St Helens North MP at the unveiling of Newton-le-Willows' new station in 2019 (Image: St Helens Council)

St Helens North MP, Conor McGinn added: "The proposals to close local rail ticket offices, including Newton, Earlestown and Garswood in my constituency, and others across the borough and region, is the latest kick in the teeth for passengers and commuters. 

"Our services are woeful, many of our stations are in poor condition and now we are set to further lose out.

"Like most people, I buy my tickets online or from a machine, but when 'the computer says no' as it often does, or when the machines aren't working, what are passengers supposed to do if there are no staff on the station to help?

"I know that for older people, those with disabilities, and young families, the closure of offices will have a very detrimental impact.

"I will also be speaking to the transport unions about what this means for local staff who will be understandably upset and worried about their jobs.

"Quite simply this is another example of 13 years of the Tories failed approach to public transport and underinvestment in services.

"We need proper, joined up and public focused rail and bus services, owned by the people and operated for the people."

To find out more about the ticket office closures and the public consulation, you can follow this link.