Responding to a consultation on the closure of ticketing offices at all rail stations, Green Party Transport spokesperson Matt Edwards said:
“Any decision to close station ticket offices would be another short-sighted decision by a government that does not care about people who use public transport to get around.”
Edwards, who is also Leader of the Green Party Group on Bradford Council, added:
“Anyone who uses the train will know that the machines at our stations are not reliable and they don’t always make it clear which ticket is the cheapest ticket to buy. This will also make it more difficult for people who need to pay for tickets with cash.
“Being able to speak to someone is vital for many passengers and plans to close ticketing offices will make travelling by train more different for thousands of passengers – especially passengers with disabilities, those with limited mobility and parents travelling with children.
“Instead of another needless fight with unions and passengers, the government should be focusing on getting services running on time, dealing with overcrowding and making travelling by rail more convenient and affordable. Closing ticket offices will achieve none of that.”
This statement originally appeared on the Green Party Press website. View it here.