Banbury protest highlights threat to close railway ticket offices

The Department of Transport has not confirmed the closures as official policy but has not ruled them out – meaning protesters were at stations across the country, including Banbury.

The government has tried to put the focus on train drivers and their salaries during the recent series of strikes but the action has brought to the fore a wide range of issues potentially affecting all staff and rail passengers.

Though small stations have long been unstaffed leaving people to buy tickets from a machine, by their phone or on the train, offices provide vital advice on journey and ticket options at many larger stations.

And now rail unions believe they could be for the chop, with the RMT listing not just stations like Banbury, Oxford and Leamington but also Marylebone, Paddington and the other London terminii, plus other big city stations.

A number of activists headed to Banbury station as part of the national demonstration on Tuesday, August 23, organised by campaign group We Own It, plus the unions, the RMT and TSSA.

The main protest took place at King’s Cross but there was action across the country, including at Oxford, Birmingham New Street and Birmingham Snow Hill.

One of those who wet to Banbury station was John Haywood. He said: “The ticket office was very busy and I spoke to several people who were very interested to hear about it and wanted to know what they could do.

“As a minimum I want people to sign the petition at weownit.org.uk.”

He said the ticket machine was not working, adding to the demand for the office and, as is widely known, the machines do not offer the full variety of fares or make it easy to find the cheapest options.

He was told that on the day before, more than 800 people had used the Banbury ticket office. There has been widespread concern about the impact on disabled and elderly passengers but Mr Haywood said the ticket office services are valuable to all travellers.