Berwick councillor accuses Transport Secretary of making U-turn on railway ticket offices

The recently appointed Transport Secretary, speaking at the Conservative Party conference, revealed she is seeking consultations on reforming ticket office provision across the country.

Opening hours at Berwick station’s ticket office were significantly reduced earlier this year and there are concerns it may close altogether.

Cllr Hill, member for Berwick East on Northumberland County Council, said: “This is another Tory u-turn.

"Last November, our MP supported the campaign against a reduction in the hours at Berwick ticket office.

"Now she tells the Tory conference that she is all for it and somehow thinks this will benefit customers.

"While you may predict a continuing, gradual reduction in the requirement for manned ticket offices - the rail operators are cutting the hours too far and too fast.

"It is disappointing that we don’t have the support of our local MP in this who is obviously in a position of considerable influence as Transport Secretary.”

Ms Trevelyan, speaking at the conference, explained: “Online shopping is increasingly the norm.

“We’re seeing the same trend on the railways with a huge increase in online ticket sales – today, only 12% of transactions take place at ticket offices.

"We need to be looking at ways to move with the trend and support our customers in the most effective way possible.

“There will be some stations where the ticket office will be important to the running of the station. In other areas rail employees may be better in front of the glass helping passengers in other ways.

“This is not about cutting jobs – this is about putting the passenger at the heart of the railway.”