Rail union slams plan to cut ticket office hours (From Surrey Comet)

RMT union slams South West Trains plan to cut ticket office hours

11:58am Monday 29th December 2008 in News By Craig Burnett

Plans to slash opening hours at station ticket offices have been attacked by a transport workers union.

The proposed cuts at New Malden, Raynes Park and Motspur Park stations have been criticised by the Rail Maritime and Transport Union (RMT).

The changes, which are among 114 planned across the country by station owners South West Trains, are set to be decided on by the Government within the next few weeks.

South West Trains has claimed that if the cuts do go ahead, they would not lead to a worse deal for passengers.

But today Bob Crow, RMT general secretary, said: "South West Trains passengers are already facing New Year increases in unregulated fares of more than 7 per cent, but the Government can act to stop ticket office cuts which would impose a vastly poorer service as well.

“We need to see more staff on stations, not fewer, but if South West Trains is allowed to get away with it other greedy train operators will see it as a green light to shut ticket offices across the rail network.

“The Government has the power to stop these unwarranted cuts and I have asked the minister to act decisively in the interests of passengers."

The cuts would see Motspur Park close for an extra 21 hours a week, including all day on Sundays. Raynes Park would shut for seven more hours every week.

South West Trains said that the standard of service would be protected by investment in new ticket machines, extra staff on trains and improved CCTV. They also claimed that more passengers were using internet and telephone ordering to buy tickets, and that there were no plans to shut any ticket offices completely.

Earlier this year 120 residents signed a petition against the plan, which has also attracted criticisism from the pressure group Passenger Focus and Wimbledon MP Stephen Hammond.