Ely rail station's ticket office is one of nearly 1,000 across England under threat of closure - less than a year after a Greater Anglia refurbishment that included a new booking hall, ticket office and waiting room.
According to the RDG, who say the proposals are aimed at modernising customer service, the share of train tickets purchased from station offices has dramatically decreased from 85 per cent in 1995 to just 12 per cent today.
The news has been met with a mixed response from local rail users.
One reader said: “They’ve only just spent thousands refurbishing the whole ticket office.”
Another added: “Organisations representing people with sight impairments and other disabilities are pointing out that this move will limit the freedom to travel many such people.
A third called the proposals "stupid", adding that "often the information online is unclear and more clarification is needed”.
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The plans have also had some positive reactions, with one person saying: ”Ticket offices are out of date with the amount of phone apps and tickets machine at stations.”
Another said: “This is quite unfortunate, but in this day and age, I can maybe see the point of it.
“Younger people who are more tech-savvy pre-booking their tickets online and so the ticket is already on their iPhone or they've printed it out.
“Also, because of sometimes being in a hurry and not wanting to queue, they also tend to use the available ticket machines more."2
They highlighted "a big however", though, surrounding the elderly generation.
"Sadly, through no fault of their own, they don't understand the latest technology and are totally flummoxed about how to work the machines.
“So they would rather buy their ticket in person with the office clerk.”
An older service user added: “There has never been a ticket office at Cambridge North, but always someone there to help you with the ticket machine if you need it.
"It seems to work well. We are in our mid 70s and haven’t had a problem.”
As part of the consultations on the ticket office closures, train companies across England will engage with passengers to gather their input.
The RDG also highlighted alternative methods of payment, such as tapping contactless cards on barriers, using self-service machines, or purchasing tickets from staff on station concourses or trains when possible.
The move has seen plenty of criticism from various unions and organisations, and there is some concerns that elderly people could be “digitally excluded”.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has said that it will vigorously oppose the proposals.
Posters are being displayed at nearly all stations across England and on train operators’ websites that invite passengers to take part in consultations on the changes.
After three weeks of consultations, there will be a two-week period of assessment while organisations consider the feedback they’ve received.
The watchdog Transport Focus will then gauge how the move will affect passengers, the staffing levels at stations, and disabled people’s access to stations.
The Government will then have the final say on which ticket offices will close their doors.
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