Tories back down on ticket offices

On 31 October the government announced it would scrap plans to close every rail ticket office in England. This is a significant victory for the rail unions, passengers, and disabled and accessibility campaigners. Despite the government and the Train Operating Companies (TOCs) arguing that modernisation and reform of the railway meant complete closure, a popular and large-scale campaign with over 750,000 responding to the consultation has defeated the plan.

Transport Focus and London Travelwatch reported they were against the plan, and the government said that the alternative plans drawn up by the TOCs do not meet the “high thresholds of serving passengers”. They have asked the TOCs to withdraw the proposals.

Campaigners and the rail unions should be prepared to ensure that there are no closures implemented by stealth. Mick Lynch, the General Secretary of rail union RMT, which has led the campaign, says that a “stitch up behind closed doors which still paves the way for ticket office closures and the axing of railway station staff jobs would be a betrayal of the hundreds of thousands of passengers who have objected to these savage cuts”.

Lynch is correct that this is not the end of the campaign. With the renewal of the RMT’s strike mandate across all the 14 TOCs still in dispute, a revived campaign of industrial action is needed for no job losses, no detrimental changes to terms and conditions, and an above-inflation pay rise. RMT should use the victory on ticket office closures as a signal to escalate the strikes.