MPs wade in to station ticket office cuts row
POLITICIANS have expressed their concern at plans to cut rail ticket office opening hours across Times Territory. Rail operator First Capital Connect (FCC) wants to cut booking office hours at 28 of its stations, including WGC, Welwyn North, Knebworth and
POLITICIANS have expressed their concern at plans to cut rail ticket office opening hours across Times Territory.
Rail operator First Capital Connect (FCC) wants to cut booking office hours at 28 of its stations, including WGC, Welwyn North, Knebworth and Cuffley.
The plans have met stiff resistance from rail unions and commuter groups and now three MPs have added their weight to the criticism.
Welwyn Hatfield MP Grant Shapps, himself a regular rail user, said: "Everyone knows a deserted station hardly lends itself to a feeling of passenger security and so booking offices have traditionally done more than just provided tickets.
You may also want to watch:
"They help with information, direction and provide a sense of community in the nearby surroundings."
He said he had written to FCC's managing director Elaine Holt to express his concern, and to seek assurances about security measures like CCTV.
Most Read
- 1 Driving scheme for 10 to 17 year olds launches in Hatfield
- 2 The latest court results for Welwyn Hatfield and Potters Bar
- 3 Is Hertfordshire set to become the new British Hollywood?
- 4 Pregnant woman jailed for more than two years for killing cyclist
- 5 Enjoy the park but treat it with the respect it deserves, says manager
- 6 Rail passengers warned of three-day closure at London King's Cross station
- 7 Tributes to 'fearless and magnificent' former Queenswood School pupil and Peaky Blinders star Helen McCrory
- 8 Fantastic florist and art gallery opens in Hatfield following lockdown easing
- 9 Local COVID-19 contact tracing service now up and running
- 10 School donates textbooks to help communities in Kenya
Stevenage MP Barbara Follett, whose constituency includes Knebworth, said: "I understand and share people's concern about the impact that these proposals could have on customer service at Knebworth railway station.
"That is why I have written to the transport minister about them."
And Cuffley's MP Charles Walker said: "As far as station ticket office closures are concerned, we're not the worst affected.
"But having a staffed ticket office does reassure customers and is a place of contact if there are any problems.