Controversial plans to close Merseyside train station ticket offices scrapped

Controversial plans to close ticket offices across a number of Liverpool City Region railway stations have been scrapped.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the Government has asked train operators to withdraw their proposals, which were brought forward earlier this year due to pressure from ministers to cut costs.

The plans would have seen almost 1,000 national ticket offices axed as part of cost-cutting measures, despite fierce criticism from the RMT workers union. The U-turn means all of the Liverpool City Region’s ticket offices have been spared.

The proposals had caused consternation with unions saying 75 jobs would be lost in Merseyside alone, with 18 stations, all operated by Northern, set to lose ticket offices altogether and a further two affected.

Merseyside stations that would have been affected by proposed ticket office closures

• Earlestown
• Eccleston Park
• Edge Hill
• Garswood
• Halewood
• Hough Green
• Huyton
• Lea Green
• Mossley Hill
• Newton-le- Willows
• Prescot
• Rainhill
• Roby
• St Helens Junction
• Thatto Heath
• Wavertree Technology Park
• West Allerton
• Whiston
• Staffing at Liverpool Lime Street and St Helens Central would have been affected but ticket offices would remain

The plans had initially been proposed to save money, with backers claiming the number of people who bought physical tickets from offices had gone down and that ticket office staff would have been redeployed to platforms instead.

But among those criticising the move were disability rights campaigners, who said manned ticket offices were a lifeline for many with disabilities.

Katie Pennick, campaigns manager at accessibility charity Transport for All, also welcomed the news.

She added: “While we are proud of the incredible tenacity of disabled people and our community for securing this major campaign victory, the outcome is bittersweet.

“The disastrous and discriminatory proposals should never have been put forward.”