We the undersigned oppose the proposed closure of Branksome station ticket office. We call on the Secretary of State for Transport to halt these plans and save Branksome's ticket office. 

 

The proposed changes include:

• Complete closure of the ticket office.

• Significant reduction of station staff:

  • No station staff on Mondays. It is currently staffed by ticket office and station staff between 6:05am-10:00am on Mondays.

  • Station staff only Tuesday-Friday 6:00am - 10:00am. The station currently has both ticket office and station staff during these hours.

  • Reduced station staff hours on Saturday.

 

This reduction of service will hurt people's ability to buy tickets, plan journeys and stay safe.

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We oppose the closure to Branksome's ticket office for the following reasons: 

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• Loss of Specialist Assistance​​

Having staff at a ticket office provides passengers with the confidence to know where to go to get assistance, information and advice. If staffing levels are reduced, and this specialist service lost, then a crucial point of contact becomes unavailable for the customers who need it most. ​

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• Accessibility

Closing the tickets office will force passengers to purchase tickets through online booking or at Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs). Many passengers will find this detrimental to their needs, including those who are elderly, disabled or have visual impairments. Research by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has found that only 3% of people with sight loss said they could use a ticket vending machine without problems and 58% said it was impossible. ​

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• Security

Visible staff at the ticket office are critical to passengers' safety and security. They provide a point of contact which could offer immediate help during an emergency. ​

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We are calling on the Conservative Secretary of State for Transport to save Branksome tickt office. We will be asking him to provide more information on his plans to prtect passengers and staff. 

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It's important that our local voices are heard.

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