BREAKING: Andy Burnham and Northern mayors are taking legal action over train station ticket office closures
Andy Burnham and other regional mayors in the north are set to take legal action over the widespread closure of railway station ticket offices, it can be revealed tonight.
"If the Government and the rail industry get their way, it will erode what remains of public trust in travelling by train - and hasten Britain towards a faceless, soulless society. The rail operators may be fronting up these plans but make no mistake - the Government is standing behind them and handing over the axe."
The Manchester Evening News reported a ticket office will remain open at Manchester Victoria railway station, but Manchester Piccadilly's has been earmarked to shut, despite it being the busier of the two. Rail operator Northern also confirmed plans to close manned ticket offices at 45 stations across Greater Manchester, although they will be retained at six other stations.
"The Government and Train Operating Companies know what they are doing here, they are trying to dress up staff reductions and cost cutting as 'improvements to customer service'," he said. "As part of their case for closures, the RDG have stated that 12 per cent of rail ticket transactions are done at ticket offices, which is in reality still 60 million ticket sales per year," they said. "In Greater Manchester, 16 per cent of tickets are sold from ticket offices, a higher figure than the national average.
"It's almost as if they are trying to drive people away from rail and we are not going to stand for this."
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