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RESOLVED:

1.      That
this Council notes that:
a)       
in July this year, the Rail Delivery Group that
represents train operators across the UK announced that it was
moving ahead with plans to close up to 1000 rail ticket offices
across England over the next 3 years; 
b)      
not all residents are able to use station ticket
machines or have the means to book a ticket in advance such as the
elderly, disabled, visually impaired, and those with poor literacy
and IT skills;
c)       
according to Age UK, 3 million elderly people in the
UK do not have access to the internet, and data from data the Royal
National Institute for Blind People shows that only 3% of those
with partial or full sight loss feel able to use ticket machines;
and
d)      
plans to close ticket offices could lead up to 2,000
job losses.

2.      That this Council believes
that:
a)       
ticket offices provide a vital service to residents
across Milton Keynes travelling from Wolverton and Bletchley train
stations, Bletchley especially is likely to see an increase in
footfall once East West Rail works are complete linking communities
from Oxford and Bletchley;
b)      
having a sign posted ticket office to help people
with enquiries provides certainty and confidence to customers who
may otherwise struggle to locate staff to help;
c)       
the closure of ticket offices will
disproportionately affect vulnerable customers, including the
elderly, disabled, and visually impaired, as well as those with
poor literacy and IT skills;
d)      
those customers without easy access to the internet
will struggle to get the best possible price for their
journey;
e)      
customers who are travelling on long distance trips
that have multiple changes can find these journeys confusing and
stressful, these customers would benefit from speaking to a member
of ticket office staff who can explain the journey and ensure they
don’t incur fines or pay more than is necessary for their
trip; and 
f)        
current ticket office staff will be affected, and it
is concerning that there will be redundancies – given that
there will be no regulations for minimum staffing levels at
stations and on platforms.

 

3.      That this Council resolves
to ask the Chief Executive of the City Council to write to the
Secretary of State for Transport, the Chief Executive of the Rail
Delivery Group, and London Northwestern Railway to express the City
Council’s opposition to plans to close staffed rail ticket
offices at Bletchley and Wolverton.
Note:
The consultation period has
been extended and will now run until 1 September 2023.