Consultation on closure of Banbury and Oxford and ticket offices, plus hundreds of others, is extended until next week

It is understood transport ministers called for an extension to the consultation because of unforeseen issues involving equal access to rail travel.

So far, 370,000 people have sent their opinions in to the two independent travel watchdog organisations, Transport Focus and London Travel Watch, which are managing the public responses to a proposal to close nearly 1,000 ticket offices at railway stations up and down the country.

In an article before the original deadline, the Banbury Guardian listed the most frequently cited reasons many people do not want to see ticket offices close, while others agree with rail companies that smart phones and ticketing machines should be sufficient for travellers to organise their journeys and buy tickets.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) said Around 180 million journeys are facilitated by ticket offices every year.

“Ticket offices deal with refunds, season ticket changes, ranger and rover tickets, ferry/bus connections, park and ride, group save, disabled persons discount, season tickets over one month in length, advance fares, rail card purchases, off-peak tickets before 9.30am, changes to ticket classes, seat reservations, cycle reservations, photo-cards for season tickets, scholar tickets, sleeper bookings and car parking,” they said.

Some, in a discussion on Banbury social media, said they wanted to keep the personal service where staff in the ticket office can give fast and easy information about the best and cheapest ticket to buy, where changes may be needed, provide rail cards and to help organise special requirements. They said ticket machines do not offer this service.

They also said many machines do not take cash or permit a part-cash, part-card payment – with people on lower incomes and older and disabled people being more likely to use cash and need that option.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, said rail companies have issued notices of statutory redundancy along with reductions in station staffing, retraining of staff and new contracts, which they believe is ‘just the start’.

Chiltern Railways says the changes are ‘modernisation’ to reflect ‘changes in customer purchasing behaviour’ following the pandemic. They want to do away with ticket offices and ask people to buy tickets online or at machines in the lobby. Station staff will be trained to respond to customer problems, they say.

However travellers told the Banbury Guardian platform staff were not there to deal with tickets or ticket queries.

“Their job is to deal with the safety of train arrivals and departures and the safety aspects of those on the platforms.” said one.

Another said because of the layout of Banbury station, it was too difficult to get to a platform to find help.

"If this change meant someone had to be in the lobby all the time to help people with the ticket machines, they may just as well keep the ticket office open and have someone sitting comfortably offering help, as they do now.”

To send your views, email [email protected] and [email protected]. For Oxford station ticket office write to [email protected]