Anger over rail ticket sales threat

Passenger groups fear more stations will become unmanned

Passenger groups have condemned proposals by rail firms that could see some UK train stations losing their ability to sell a full range of tickets.

The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) has said that about 1,000 of the UK's 2,500 stations lack facilities to issue advance tickets and this will "probably" increase.

Proposals being considered could mean smaller, rural stations not getting new high-tech machines enabling them to sell pre-booked tickets such as Apex fares.

But rail regulator Tom Winsor warned that any such proposal required his approval.

He said no train operators had applied to him about the new machines.

Tom Winsor: Defending interests of passengers

"I have no intention of approving anything which is detrimental to the interests of passengers," he said.

The Independent on Sunday newspaper revealed that hundreds of railway stations faced losing their right to sell long-distance tickets under the new plans being drafted by the UK's train operators.

It said most long-distance tickets would in future be bought over the phone or on the internet.

Easier for passengers

As a result, it said, people who wanted long-distance tickets in a hurry from smaller stations would first have to travel to a mainline station.

The ATOC said the proposals, which are still at the consultation stage, were intended to make the ticketing system easier for passengers to understand.

But Anthony Smith, national director of the Rail Passengers' Council, said he could not believe that some railway stations would refuse to take people's money.

"What other retailer would do this?," he said.

There is no question of people not being able to go to a station and get a ticket from there to anywhere they want to go

Philip Benham
ATOC

Philip Benham, the ATOC's director of commercial services, said the proposals for new ticketing machinery and a simplified fare structure would improve the rail service.

"There is no question of people not being able to go to a station and get a ticket from there to anywhere they want to go on the network just as they can now," he told BBC News 24.

The ATOC said it made sense for some stations to concentrate on walk-on fares and not pre-purchase tickets

The organisation said it was dealing with some stations that only sell 10 pre-purchase tickets a year.

"If we can make it clear to the public which stations have ticket machines and which don't, that will help them."

Some people prefer to pay in cash, especially older people who like to go to the station and go through all the options with someone

Anthony Smith

Mr Smith, of the Rail Passengers' Council, said the proposals were negative at a time when rail travel was supposed to be booming.

"Not everybody has access to credit and some people prefer to pay in cash, especially older people who like to go to the station and go through all the options with someone," he said.

Mr Smith dismissed reassurances that it would still be possible to walk into a station and buy a ticket to anywhere.

He said such tickets were invariably much more expensive than the pre-booked ones.

"Sometimes tickets are six or seven times more expensive if you buy them on the day," he said.