• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

MayorWatch

London News and Comment

  • NEWS
  • Twitter

City Hall halts London Overground ticket office closures but many will still see opening hours reduced

April 18, 2019 - Martin Hoscik@MayorWatch

City Hall and Transport for London have dropped plans to close ticket offices at 51 London Overground stations, but many will have their opening hours reduced to just 2 and a half hours per day.

Plans to close the ticket offices were unveiled last year, with TfL rail boss Jon Fox claiming the take-up of Oyster and contactless payment was “creating an opportunity to improve the way stations are managed and how staff serve customers.”

However the closures were opposed by transport unions who feared they would make it harder for passengers to get the assistance they needed and a review carried out by passenger watchdog London Travelwatch recommended that 24 of the offices should remain open.

Today City Hall said Mayor Sadiq Khan would provide additional funding to enable TfL to retain all of the ticket offices, but that many would now only open between 07.30 and 10.00, with only the “busiest” retaining their current opening hours.

The Mayor’s office was unable to say how many of the ticket offices would fall into each category.

Mr Khan said: “Having listened closely to the views of passengers and to the hard-working staff working at our stations I have asked TfL to ensure that no ticket officers will be closed permanently, and the busiest ticket offices will remain open to passengers exactly as they do now.

“TfL will carry on working closely with Arriva Rail and transport staff to ensure any changes in how stations operate and the adoption of new technology truly has a beneficial impact for all the Londoners who rely on the service every day.”

Meanwhile Fox, who last year hailed the now abandoned closures, said: “We look forward to continuing to work alongside Arriva Rail London, the operator of London Overground, on these important changes and ensuring our passengers continue to benefit from a high level of customer service.”

Today’s announcement has been welcomed by TravelWatch which says “an overwhelming majority” of those who took part in its review opposed the closures.

Chair Arthur Leathley said: “Many London Overground passengers rely on the ticket office to buy their tickets and I am delighted that we have secured significant investment in ticketing and customer service as a result of our activity.”

Mick Cash, RMT General Secretary, said: “This is a significant victory for RMT members at the front line of the London Overground service who led the campaign to stop this ticket office carnage and jacked up the political pressure to reverse the cuts.

“It proves that trade union campaigning works.

“However we remain vigilant as in our experience once a package of cuts is proposed they remain an option in the longer term. Any backsliding will result in a new blast of pressure from this trade union and our national campaign to staff our stations and retain ticket offices continues.” ‎

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

RECENT UPDATES

852 new homes to be built in Acton by Transport for London

HGV operators in London urged to apply for a Direct Vision Standard permit

TfL proposes bus and tube cuts and annual fares increases to achieve long-term financial sustainability

London’s entire bus fleet now meets ULEZ emissions standards




Popular

1,700 extra Santander Cycles are coming to London’s streets

TfL confirms changes to Older Person’s Freedom Pass and 60+ Oyster card hours

TfL fares to rise in return for £1.6bn Government rescue package

Election for Mayor of London and London Assembly postponed until 2021

FEATURED

City Hall to move to Docklands as Mayor seeks to raise £55m for frontline services

‘Concern’ over TfL’s ability to deliver major projects in wake of Crossrail cost overruns

City Hall halts London Overground ticket office closures but many will still see opening hours reduced

Transport for London confirms bus cuts will go ahead despite passenger opposition

GOT A STORY?

As the original London news and scrutiny site we've been casting an eye over the capital's public services and politicians since 1999.

 

Many of our top stories started with a tip-off from a reader - if you've got something you'd like us to cover get in touch and we'll do the rest.

Stay In Touch

  • E-mail
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2021 MayorWatch Publications Limited · MayorWatch is Registered Trademark · All Rights Reserved · Contact Us · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy

MayorWatch Publications Limited · 20-22 Wenlock Road · London N1 7GU · Company Number 6291816

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.