Station ticket offices face axe across New Forest and Christchurch in modernisation plans by South Western Railway
TICKET offices are set to be shut at railway stations across the New Forest and Christchurch in a move to “modernise” the service for commuters.
South Western Railway is among companies making the cuts nationwide, citing a significant drop in use of the offices, with customers using alternative, more convenient methods of buying tickets.
It is instead proposing to have staff on the platforms to help with a variety of services ranging from journey planning to ticket purchasing.
But the plan has been met with concern by unions, including RMT which said “fat cat train operators” and the government were trying to “decimate” the railways.
Disability groups have also voiced concerns over accessibility.
SWR claimed 75% of its passenger journeys were already made using smart media, through which the “vast majority” of ticket types were already available.
Of the 12% of tickets it said were bought at ticket offices nationwide last year, it estimated 99% could have been bought via a vending machine or online.
An SWR spokesperson said: “This proposal forms part of plans to modernise the railway and bring it more in line with modern consumer expectations.
“To modernise our retailing offer, we are proposing to transition our station colleagues to new multi-skilled roles with a clear focus on helping our customers.”
SWR vowed to continue meeting commitments on providing accessibility for passengers, including passengers with reduced mobility and people requiring in‑person assistance.
RMT hit out at the plans, saying statutory redundancies were being issued on the back of them.
General secretary Mick Lynch said this was “a savage attack on railway workers, their families and the travelling public”.
He continued: “Travellers will be forced to rely on apps and remote mobile teams to be available to assist them rather than having trained staff on stations.
"This is catastrophic for elderly, disabled and vulnerable passengers trying to access the rail network.”
South Western Railway has released proposed changes to the staff hours at local stations:
Ashurst New Forest
Currently unstaffed and will remain so
Brockenhurst
Current ticket office opening hours
Monday 5:55am - 7:30pm
Tuesday 5:55am - 7:30pm
Wednesday 5:55am - 7:30pm
Thursday 5:55am - 7:30pm
Friday 5:55am - 7:30pm
Saturday 6:30am - 7:30pm
Sunday 8:35am - 6:30pm
Proposed station staffing hours
Monday 5:45am - 10:00pm
Tuesday 5:45am - 10:00pm
Wednesday 5:45am - 10:00pm
Thursday 5:45am - 10:00pm
Friday 5:45am - 10:00pm
Saturday 6:30am - 10:00pm
Sunday 7:00am - 10:00pm
Christchurch
Current ticket office opening hours
Monday 6:00am - 12:55pm
Tuesday 6:00am - 12:55pm
Wednesday 6:00am - 12:55pm
Thursday 6:00am - 12:55pm
Friday 6:00am - 12:55pm
Saturday 7:00am - 2:00pm
Sunday 8:45am - 12:45pm
Proposed station staffing hours
Monday Unstaffed
Tuesday 6:00am - 10:00am
Wednesday 6:00am - 10:00am
Thursday 6:00am - 10:00am
Friday 6:00am - 10:00am
Saturday 9:00am - 1:00pm
Sunday Unstaffed
Hinton Admiral
Current ticket office opening hours
Monday 6:35am - 11:00am
Tuesday 6:35am - 11:00am
Wednesday 6:35am - 11:00am
Thursday 6:35am - 11:00am
Friday 6:35am - 11:00am
Saturday Unstaffed
Sunday Unstaffed
Proposed station staffing hours
Monday 6:00am - 10:00am
Tuesday 6:00am - 10:00am
Wednesday 6:00am - 10:00am
Thursday 6:00am - 10:00am
Friday Unstaffed
Saturday Unstaffed
Sunday 9:00am - 1:00pm
New Milton
Current ticket office opening hours
Monday 6:10am - 6:30pm
Tuesday 6:10am - 6:30pm
Wednesday 6:10am - 6:30pm
Thursday 6:10am - 6:30pm
Friday 6:10am - 6:30pm
Saturday 7:15am - 4:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 4:00pm
Proposed station staffing hours
Monday Unstaffed
Tuesday 6:00am - 10:00am
Wednesday 6:00am - 10:00am
Thursday 6:00am - 10:00am
Friday 6:00am - 10:00am
Saturday 9:00am - 1:00pm
Sunday Unstaffed
Lymington Pier
Currently unstaffed and will remain so
Lymington Town
Current ticket office opening hours
Monday 6:00am - 1:15pm
Tuesday 6:00am - 1:15pm
Wednesday 6:00am - 1:15pm
Thursday 6:00am - 1:15pm
Friday 6:00am - 1:15pm
Saturday 9:00am - 2:00pm
Sunday 10:00am - 1:00pm
Proposed station staffing hours
Monday Unstaffed
Tuesday 6:00am - 10:00am
Wednesday 6:00am - 10:00am
Thursday 6:00am - 10:00am
Friday 6:00am - 10:00am
Saturday 9:00am - 1:00pm
Sunday Unstaffed
Sway
Current ticket office opening hours
Monday 6:35am - 10:00am
Tuesday 6:35am - 10:00am
Wednesday 6:35am - 10:00am
Thursday 6:35am - 10:00am
Friday 6:35am - 10:00am
Saturday Unstaffed
Sunday Unstaffed
Proposed station staffing hours
Monday 6:00am - 10:00am
Tuesday 6:00am - 10:00am
Wednesday 6:00am - 10:00am
Thursday6:00am - 10:00am
Friday Unstaffed
Saturday Unstaffed
Sunday 9:00am - 1:00pm
Totton
Current ticket office opening hours
Monday 5:40am - 10:00am
Tuesday 5:40am - 10:00am
Wednesday 5:40am - 10:00am
Thursday 5:40am - 10:00am
Friday 5:40am - 10:00am
Saturday Unstaffed
Sunday Unstaffed
Proposed station staffing hours
Monday 6:00am - 10:00am
Tuesday 6:00am - 10:00am
Wednesday 6:00am - 10:00am
Thursday 6:00am - 10:00am
Friday Unstaffed
Saturday Unstaffed
Sunday 9:00am - 1:00pm
A public consultation on the proposals is running until 26th July and those wishing to comment should email ticketoffice.swr@transportfocus.org.uk or write to Freepost: RTEH-XAGE-BYKZ, Transport Focus, PO Box 5594, Southend on Sea, SS1 9PZ.
The full plans can be viewed online at southwesternrailway.com/station-change-proposal
