TSSA General Secretary, Manuel Cortes, has hit out at plans by east-coast mainline operator London North Eastern Railway (LNER) to reduce the opening hours of station travel centres selling rail tickets as ‘shameful’ and a ‘terrible blow to many smaller communities’.
Cortes called on LNER to think again over their plans. The company is currently undertaking a public consultation on changes which would reduce travel centre opening hours across the network and result in a significant reduction to the service offered to the community by smaller stations like Berwick, Retford, and Newark.
Commenting, union leader Cortes said: “LNER should be ashamed at these plans which come at a time when we should be doing all we can to make it as easy as possible to get people back onto our railways.
“Our members, who staff many of these travel centres, provide a vital function on the railway. We are concerned that the scale of these proposed changes is not only a scene setter for the real agenda – job cuts – but would come as a terrible blow to many smaller communities who are likely to be badly hit.
LNER says the proposal reflects the reduced level of customer demand during these times and that, outside of the travel centre opening times, tickets can be purchased from vending machines on the station concourse. The operator has also encouraged feedback and comment on the plans.
For further information on the plans, visit the LNER website.
