Row Over Leaked Plans To Shut Ticket Offices

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Putney commuters would be among those affected

Leaked plans showing all 268 tube ticket offices, including the ones at Putney Bridge & East Putney stations, could be closed have sparked a huge row.

Under the confidential TfL plans, ticket offices would be replaced by 20 or more "travel centres" at the bigger stations such as Waterloo, Kings Cross and Euston.

Passengers wanting to buy tickets at other stations would have to use automatic machines instead.

Richard Tracey, Assembly Member for Merton & Wandsworth, said, "TfL for some years have been looking at the fact that the vast majority of travellers use Oyster these days, and ticket office closure talk goes back to 2007 with Ken Livingstone as Mayor. Boris postponed it for a while, but then advised by TfL started closing some offices. Boris and the GLA Conservatives have always said adamantly that there must be staff at stations to help anyone who needed help and guidance - but not behind glass windows in ticket offices in most stations."

The TSSA union, which represents ticket office staff, also claims 2,000 jobs could be lost in two years.

 

August 14, 2013