Local Station Ticket Office Closures

[danielson00]

Several local ticket office's could potentially close from June 2016.

No mention of ED, but Queens Road Peckham, Peckham Rye, Denmark Hill and Tulse Hill are set to close.

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=126373

http://www.rmt.org.uk/news/rmt-to-fight-ticket-office-carnage/

http://www.thameslinkrailway.com/download/11602.5/modernising-stations-list/

http://www.thameslinkrailway.com/download/11629.8/modernising-southern-stations/ (Mentions Peckham Rye)

[Lynne]

They've only just spent all that money on Denmark Hill

It's going to make all these stations feel very secure for passengers!

[gingerchris]

Seems sensible, I cant remember the last time I bought a ticket from the ticket office. With the prevalence of Oyster cards and the fact the ticket office can't top them up they seem increasingly pointless.

[James Barber]

They need to install more ticket machines before any such closures as an absolute minimum.

1 machine at Denmark hill is mad.

Two at East Dulwich station wont b enough as the time to fix them is too long.

[James]

Lots of evidence of cost-cutting by these train companies. But with our ridiculously inflated fares, where is the investment? Peckham Rye station seems to get dirtier and more overcrowded by the day.

[Nigello]

Does the ticket officer have any thing to do wiht security, cleanliness, health and safety? If so, then his/her absence will be felt.

[BrandNewGuy]

Lynne Wrote:

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> They've only just spent all that money on Denmark

> Hill

> It's going to make all these stations feel very

> secure for passengers!

About these changes, Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink say:

"Where sales from ticket offices are low, we want to bring staff out from behind the windows and on to the concourse to work where they?re needed most, as Station Hosts, providing assistance and helping sell tickets from ticket machines and their own handheld devices.

All the affected stations will be staffed for longer as a result ? at all but two they would be staffed from the very first train of the day to the very last, seven days a week.

This will drive other customer benefits ? we?ll also be able to increase the opening hours of facilities passengers have told us are important, such as waiting rooms, toilets and lifts."

So perhaps the stations might feel more secure than they are now.

http://www.thameslinkrailway.com/about-us/news/modernising-our-stations/

[intexasatthe moment]

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/elderly-travellers-face-higher-train-083338278.html?cache=clear

[d.b]

Very disappointing, as an Oyster/travelcard user it isn't a daily problem but Denmark Hill is often the best starting point for trips out of London that need a paper ticket.

When there's only one ticket machine and there's a queue or a confused person having trouble with it (happens all the time) you can end up with a choice of travelling without a ticket or missing a train (that may set you back by an hour, given connections).

Denmark Hill generally seems a massive cockup, all that investment on new ramps lifts and ticket office, which just serves to force large crowds getting off trains at peak times through just 2 exit gates... and now this new announcement closing the newly-built ticket office suggests nobody is really thinking properly before spending money.

[dirac]

Personally I haven't bought a paper ticket from a ticket office in ages, but at Peckham Rye I do see people using it quite often.

The only thing I'd be concerned about is having more ticket machines, and staff to help manage it. Only having two there is stupid, come Monday morning where the queue is out the door for oyster topups etc.

[siousxiesue]

Where's the accountability regarding all that money spent on the mess that is the new Denmark Hill Station? If such a thing exists now. The place is an unmitigating disaster of a refurb

James Barber Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> They need to install more ticket machines before

> any such closures as an absolute minimum.

> 1 machine at Denmark hill is mad.

> Two at East Dulwich station wont b enough as the

> time to fix them is too long.

[landsberger]

gingerchris Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Seems sensible, I cant remember the last time I

> bought a ticket from the ticket office. With the

> prevalence of Oyster cards and the fact the ticket

> office can't top them up they seem increasingly

> pointless.

Except that...there are quite a few tickets you can only buy at a ticket office...there are times when the ticket machines break down...the ticket staff will be redeployed as revenue control staff, and will have no access to live running information (they do at the moment). In the past, the latter has been done by a private firm on a target contract.

[landsberger]

James Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Lots of evidence of cost-cutting by these train

> companies. But with our ridiculously inflated

> fares, where is the investment? Peckham Rye

> station seems to get dirtier and more overcrowded

> by the day.

Apparently Govia has a massive hole in their finances and this goes some way to addressing it. Interestingly, this reason is why Connex lost their contract...

[sandyman]

I've been told by a ticket collector that if you have to queue for more than five minutes you are entitled to board the train without a ticket without paying a fine. (can't find this info in writing though so you'll have to do it at your own risk!)

> When there's only one ticket machine and there's a

> queue or a confused person having trouble with it

> (happens all the time) you can end up with a

> choice of travelling without a ticket or missing a

> train (that may set you back by an hour, given

> connections).

>

[mrsps]

Last time I used QRP station I was told that the lift could only function if there was somebody on duty in the ticket office. I hope these planned closures don't mean we will lose the lift too.

[Bic Basher]

Another reason why Thameslink shouldn't have been handed Denmark Hill instead of London Overground.

[dbboy]

We need to oppose local station ticket closures at all costs. They need to be staffed to deal with problems, queries, enquiries, issues and ensure the public's safety.

[tomskip]

Stood in a queue at Denmark Hill for more than 10 minutes recently to use the one ticket machine (yes I did time it). Nearly missed my train.

[Earl Aelfheah]

Ticket machine at Denmark Hill wasn't working today and as far as I know doesn't sale monthly oysters

[BrandNewGuy]

dbboy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> We need to oppose local station ticket closures at

> all costs. They need to be staffed to deal with

> problems, queries, enquiries, issues and ensure

> the public's safety.

But as I said earlier, they plan on keeping staff at stations - just not in ticket offices. Whether they'll hold to that, who knows, but the current proposal is not to remove staff from stations altogether.

[minder]

Let's hope they keep the ticket office staff at stations. If not, station staff that can help and advise at the ticket machines.

I hate machines and I'm probably one of those people who are 'confused' when trying to use one!

There's lot of people that only use a train occasionally.

[lpool]

sandyman Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I've been told by a ticket collector that if you

> have to queue for more than five minutes you are

> entitled to board the train without a ticket

> without paying a fine. (can't find this info in

> writing though so you'll have to do it at your own

> risk!)

>

>

>

> > When there's only one ticket machine and there's

> a

> > queue or a confused person having trouble with

> it

> > (happens all the time) you can end up with a

> > choice of travelling without a ticket or missing

> a

> > train (that may set you back by an hour, given

> > connections).

> >

From memory there is an obligation to ensure the maximum average time required to purchase a ticket is 5 minutes. I regularly end up catching a train from a station in Norfolk without a ticket when TVMs not working and large queue on a Monday morning. My own experience at Denmark Hill is not having to queue for more than a few minutes. the majority of volume at station is arrivals from elsewhere.

[Jules-and-Boo]

you can buy tickets on line, but I really prefer someone to help me find the right option.

We travelled over Christmas and the chap at DH found me a ticket at ?60 cheaper than the first price that jumped up (very happy!).

Makes me have little confidence we will be sold the cheapest ticket. And what to do when you realise you've bought the wrong ticket? I tried to buy an open return before but it gave me a day return ... and surprise - no one to ask/ help and I ended up having to buy a second ticket with no recourse.

[TB2]

The official consultation has now started. Please go to http://www.londontravelwatch.org.uk/news/view?id=581&x[0]=news/list for details on how to respond.

[danielson00]

Call me cynical but... it appears East Dulwich and North Dulwich are not affected?