Plans to shut Spalding Railway Station ticket office labelled ‘stupid’

Plans to shut the ticket office at Spalding Railway Station have been labelled ‘stupid’.

East Midlands Railway has announced it is supporting a ‘consultation on the modernisation of the industry’, with a total of 29 ticket offices in towns and cites across the region at risk.

But George Scott of the Spalding and Peterborough Transport Forum has raised a number of concerns, and encouraged the public to make their feelings known during the consultation period.

“I think it’s another nail in the coffin of customer service,” he said.

“A lot of people don’t know how to use the ticket machines and I know people who have been left stuck as the machine won’t take their card.

“It’s a stupid plan.”

Mr Scott pointed out that having staff at stations makes customers feel safer.

He also questioned whether travellers with cash would now be given the opportunity pay on the trains, and whether the lift at the Spalding station would now remain operational if there was no staff on site.

The lifts help customers reach the walkover which connects the two platforms. The only alternative is to climb two flights of stairs.

“If there’s nobody there, what happens to the people who use the lift?” he questioned.

“Will they have to cross the bridge with their wheelchairs, prams and everything else?

“It’s a railway station it should be manned.”

The public have also shared other concerns about a lack of personnel on site, fearing partially-sighted, non-English speaking travellers may struggle to use the machines.

Ticket office staff are also able to help with requests such as rail cards, smart cards and seat reservations.

A statement explaining the proposals on the EMR website says: “We will be closing the ticket office at this station.

“This will be a phased approach based on those with the lowest usage being closed first.

“Although the ticket office will close, we expect weekly visits from mobile staff at the station.”

With Spalding’s ticket office lumped in with those at stations including London St Pancras, Nottingham, Sheffield, Derby and Kettering, it could well be one of the sites with lowest usage.

Fellow Lincolnshire stations Lincoln, Stamford, Boston, Skegness and Sleaford are also on the list.

EMR added: “In line with other train operators, we are supporting the modernisation of the industry so we can adapt to our customers’ changing travel patterns.

“These proposed changes are aimed to bring railway staff closer to customers, better match demand with resources, and ensure value for money for the taxpayer.”

The ticket office currently opens from 6.30am to 12.30pm every day except Sunday.

Members of the public are being encouraged to voice their opinions during the consultation period.

You can have your say by visiting https://www.raildeliverygroup.com/uk-rail-industry/customer-focused-reform.html.