09.06.16
GTR to close ticket offices, but promises staff will remain at stations
Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is to close ticket offices or reduce the hours they are available at 83 stations, but has promised the reforms will be subject to consultation with Transport Focus and London Travel Watch.
GTR said that the closures would affect 83 of its busier stations on the Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink lines, where passengers increasingly bought their tickets online, or use Oyster, contactless and smartcards.
It also said the stations would remain staffed at all times, with staff acting as station hosts instead of staying in the ticket office.
Keith Jipps, GTR passenger services director, said: “We appreciate the assistance and views of Transport Focus and London TravelWatch and for their support for our plans going forward.
“We think the consultation has been a success as we’ve been able to listen to our passengers and modify our proposals to meet their needs now and in the future. We believe our new station hosts will be of great benefit to our passengers, providing assistance for more hours each day with the same tickets available as today.
“I’d like to thank passengers for responding to the consultation and feel confident that these changes will reassure them that our proposals will improve passengers’ experience in our stations.”
However, the latest National Rail Passenger survey from Transport Focus found that the ticket office is still the most popular means of buying tickets.
GTR said the staffing changes would allow them to increase the opening hours of waiting rooms, toilets and lifts. It added that, following the consultation, there would be a ‘soft launch’ of the scheme first at pilot stations to ensure it worked.
London TravelWatch CEO Janet Cooke said: “We are pleased that the operator has looked again at the changes it was proposing and decided to pilot the changes it will be making at a few stations before further expansion is contemplated.” She added that the changes met “almost all” of passengers’ concerns.
GTR also made a commitment to keep ticket offices open during the morning peak and install 63 new ticketing machines in order to reduce overcrowding.
Following concerns that the full range of tickets would not be available within London Travelcard zones, GTR promised that the full range of tickets would be available.
The operator is also in discussions with disabled passenger groups, and says that it expects the station hosts will improve services for disabled passengers.
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