Potential Scarborough train ticket office closure is 'disgraceful'
Disability groups have been campaigning to save them
A severe sight impaired woman from Scarborough says it is disgraceful that train ticket offices could close for good.
Disability groups say it will affect their independence as they heavily rely on getting help from staff because they cannot use the ticket machines.
A consultation to save the ticket offices ends tomorrow.
Liz Pimperton said: "It will really affect disabled travellers especially severe sight impaired. They use the ticket office as a point of contact for getting passenger assist and finding their way.
"It's great thing for people with disabilities and also older people. They use the ticket office as a point of contact and without it, they'd feel scared and vulnerable with nowhere to wait or people to see to get access.
"We can't physically use the ticket machines, they're all touch screen and there's no audio description on them. I've just been in my station just now and my friend has just said on the actual ticket machine it says 'please ask for assistance from the ticket office.'
"I've just had two weekends where I've been on the train and I used the ticket office for my split tickets. I wouldn't have been able to do that online, I wouldn't have been able to get my tickets or my passenger assist. It's just the little things which they don't realise which would affect me being able to have my independence of travelling on trains.
"I just think it's disgraceful. They don't realise how much of an effect it will have on people's independence to get about. I'd like them to come to the station, put a blindfold on and try to negotiate all the bollards, scaffolding, people and dogs and see how they get on."
Find out more about the ticket office closures on the RMT website.