A PROTEST was held outside Droitwich Spa Railway Station on Wednesday calling to keep ticket offices open amid concerns the move would negatively impact people with disabilities.
Proposals put forward by firms including West Midlands Railway would see the ticket office at Droitwich Spa station be among those to close.
Under the plans, all ticket offices in their current form would close over the next three years, apart from several ‘hub stations’, such as Worcester Foregate Street, Birmingham Snow Hill, Sutton Coldfield, University and Wolverhampton.
The two-hour protest was organised by the Worcester Trades Union Council and featured members from the RMT union.
The plans have faced backlash from the Mid Worcestershire Labour Group, whose petition to stop the proposed closures has so far gained 108 signatures.
Coun Val Humphries and her husband Alan, who are both visually impaired and members of the local Labour group, joined the protest.
Alan said: “Ticket offices aren’t just there for the sale of tickets, the staff also help disabled people on and off trains and are there to provide information when it’s not available in an accessible format.
“This is about defending the rights of people with disabilities and ensuring they aren’t left more vulnerable than they currently are when travelling.”
West Midlands Railway said plans would see staff fill ambassador roles, give advice about rail fares and support customers with accessibility needs.
The firm added there would be a ‘visible and accessible staff presence’ on ticket concourses and platforms during staff hours.
And it said just 12 per cent of all tickets were currently sold at offices, compared to 82 per cent in the 1990s and around half of all sales nationally were now made online.
Visit https://chng.it/ZjJ8pXcqHg to sign Mid Worcestershire Labour Party’s petition or transportfocus.org.uk/ticketoffices to take part in the consultation.
