Petition to stop the closure of Sussex ticket offices: “A huge step backwards for public transport”

Proposals to shut down almost all of the 1,007 remaining offices within three years include stations at Seaford, Newhaven, Lewes, Plumpton and Polegate. Other stations at risk at risk of closure include Hassocks, Burgess Hill, Eastbourne and Brighton.

James MacCleary, the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Lewes, said: “To lose all ticket offices in towns like Lewes and Polegate, rural stations like Plumpton, and even larger communities like Brighton and Eastbourne is a huge step backwards for public transport.

“Like many, I’m concerned this could lead to a slippery slope for less human support for those trying to access the railway. There are people across our communities who need support to access public transport, and these closures run the risk of excluding people from access to basic transport.

“We need to be encouraging more people onto public transport, not excluding people and making using the railway less appealing. We have a large number of visitors to our communities. Without ticket offices it will be harder for those visitors to seek help at our stations. For these reasons and more, this is a short sighted decision, so I’d encourage local people to join me in showing the Department for Transport and Southern Rail we don’t support this unnecessary change.”

Lewes Liberal Democrats are petitioning for these plans to be stopped and for ticket offices to be saved at leweslibdems.org.uk/tickets

Transport watchdogs London TravelWatch and Transport Focus launched public consultations on behalf of rail operators across the country on July 5 ‘to consider how tickets are sold and to improve customer service in the future’.

The public consultation, which closes on July 26, has been launched to seek the views of the public about the proposals, which are said to have been launched to ‘improve customer service and reflect how customers now buy tickets’.

In-person assistance would still be available to support customers purchasing from ticket machines and to support the safety and security of stations, for example by being a presence to deter anti-social behaviour.

To feedback, customers should directly email or write to the relevant watchdog for their station. The details of this can be found on GTR’s websites alongside the current and proposed ticketing assistance hours for their station. Unfortunately, responses directly to GTR cannot be considered.

Printed copies of the consultation information that is available on GTR’s websites can be requested at staffed stations and alternative formats are available by calling 0345 026 4700 or textphone 0800 138 1018.

More information about the consultation process can also be found by visiting the Transport Focus website and London TravelWatch website.

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