Train ticket office closures scrapped across Northern Lincolnshire
Cleethorpes, Grimsby, and Scunthorpe were due to close under the proposals
Proposals to close Cleethorpes, Grimsby and Scunthorpe train ticket offices have been scrapped.
A public consultation was held over the summer on the potential closure of hundreds of train ticket offices in England by The Rail Delivery Group, representing train operators. This included TransPennine Express (TPE), who are responsible for northern Lincolnshire’s three ticket offices.
Cleethorpes, Grimsby and Scunthorpe were all set to lose their ticket offices. But the government has announced all proposed ticket offices up for closure will remain as they are.
TPE runs 16 ticket offices in total and the proposals were for 14 of these to be shut. It was argued by the Rail Delivery Group changes would bring station retailing up to date from the mid-1990s, before the smartphone era. TPE likewise stated it wanted its staff to be more accessible during the times stations were staffed.
As well as the ticket office closures, staffing hours were also to be reduced significantly in Grimsby and Scunthorpe. Announcing the reprieve, Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the government made it “clear to the rail industry throughout the process that any resulting proposals must meet a high threshold of serving passengers”.
“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.”
Scunthorpe and Cleethorpes MPs Holly Mumby-Croft and Martin Vickers campaigned against the ticket office closures in their constituencies. Ms Mumby-Croft led a debate in parliament on the issue, and questioned how staff could be more accessible when staffing hours were being reduced. North and North East Lincolnshire Councils also opposed the ticket office closures.
The Rail Delivery Group has said:
“While these plans won’t now be taken forward, we will continue to look at other ways to improve passenger experience while delivering value for the taxpayer. Our priority remains to secure a vibrant long-term future for the industry and all those who work in it.”