Hastings & Rye MP welcomes announcement that plans to close rail ticket offices have been scrapped

Sally-Ann Hart, MP for Hastings and Rye, had campaigned to ministers about the proposed changes in railway ticket office services which were especially concerning for Rye and was delighted at this morning’s news. She said:

"I am glad that the Government has listened to people’s concerns about the potential changes. Keeping ticket offices open is vital for our communities, particularly in Rye where the ticket office is an important asset both to the community and those visiting our beautiful and ancient town. Due to the diversity of travellers and our local population demographic, I believe that closing the ticket office and only having staff on the platform would not have worked. Towns like Rye are not fast-paced urban areas and a significant number of people still use cash and want a human touch.”

Sally-Ann also met with a representative of Southern Rail at Rye Station in the summer to raise her concerns about the proposed ticket office closures and spoke in a debate on these proposals in Parliament in September where she urged train operators to tailor their plans according to local need.

The Government spent £31 billion to support the UK railway industry during the pandemic and wants reform to improve the service for passengers and secure the railway's long-term financial position. However, it recognises that they must pursue this reform in a way that delivers for passengers.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “The consultation on ticket offices has now ended, with the Government making clear to the rail industry throughout the process that any resulting proposals must meet a high threshold of serving passengers.

“We have engaged with accessibility groups throughout this process and listened carefully to passengers as well as my colleagues in Parliament. The proposals that have resulted from this process do not meet the high thresholds set by Ministers, and so the Government has asked train operators to withdraw their proposals.

“We will continue our work to reform our railways with the expansion of contactless Pay As You Go ticketing, making stations more accessible through our Access for All programme and £350 million funding through our Network North plan to improve accessibility at up to 100 stations.”