Ticket Troubles

By New Worker correspondent

The RMT transport union launched a fresh campaign this week to halt London Overground ticket office closures. It is opposing plans to cut hours at 45 stations to the bare minimum and to close the ticket offices altogether at Brondesbury, White Hart Lane and West Hampstead.

London Overground last year planned to close 51 ticket offices on the network. The RMT launched a campaign however, and thousands of London Overground passengers opposed the closures, forcing the Mayor of London to intervene and promise to keep the ticket offices open.

As the New Worker hits the doormats on Friday the union will be having a day of action, with a leafleting and postcard campaign taking place at stations around the capital.

Under the revised new proposals, many stations would only be open in the mornings between 07:30–10:00am, Monday to Friday.

This would equate to a cut in hours of over 65 per cent across the Overground. Many stations are facing cuts in hours of over 80 per cent.

As a result many ticket offices would be closed for large parts of the day, resulting in stations becoming less safe, secure and accessible, and passengers will not be able to access all ticket types and services at a machine. Many people, including some elderly and disabled passengers, would struggle to purchase tickets and get advice.

London Overground is presently owned by the German State rail company, which made a profit of £4.6 million last year so it can well afford to provide a decent public service.

RMT’s General Secretary Mick Cash warned: “These plans to cut ticket office opening hours are about cutting costs and maximising profits and fly in the face of the Mayor’s promise last year to keep the ticket offices open.

“RMT will be fighting to keep ticket offices fully open and oppose the proposed cuts and we expect the same widespread support from the travelling public that we had when fought to save ticket offices last year.”