Rail ticket offices closures: Harrogate Lib Dem calls for assurance there will be no 'managed decline' in future

The news that plans to see the mass closure of rail ticket offices across the country, supported by the Conservative Government, has been met with alarm from Harrogate & Knaresborough Liberal Democrats.

Tom Gordon said: “We are seeking public reassurances that Harrogate station will remain open, with similar opening hours for the foreseeable future.

"The closing of ticket offices across the country will lock so many people out of being able to access tickets and travel by train.

“Not everyone is digitally enabled or able to use self-service machines and still rely on a ticket office being open so they can pay their fare.

“These changes will disproportionately impact typically older residents, who may not be online, and those who are partially sighted or blind.

"We have seen years of poor service here in Harrogate, under investment in our public transport, a failure to electrify our train line, and constant fare hikes.

"Harrogate is one of the few places keeping its ticket office, largely due to the number of ticket sales made.

"This shows that there is a demand for a ticket office here.

"I want to make sure that the future of the ticket office is safe, we should not be managing the decline of ticket offices but expanding the services on offer through them.”