HARLOW Labour group leader Chris Vince has expressed his concern about the future of railway ticket offices in Harlow following news from the Conservative govt that ticket offices across the country will be forced to close.

Cllr Vince said: “The news of ticket office closures is extremely worrying for many Harlow commuters who rely on them. Not everyone can use the self-service machines and what happens if they are faulty?

It is frequently the case that ticket office staff give advice and assistance that you just cannot and would not get from a ticket machine. As ever, the Conservatives are more concerned about money than people, they fail to understand the value customers place on human interaction.

The conservative govt are ducking and diving the question about ticket office closures but Harlow Labour group unequivocally reject potential closures of Harlow’s ticket offices and have already stood in solidarity with ticket office workers at Harlow Town station.”

Louise Haigh MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, commenting on the Rail Delivery Group publishing proposals for railway station ticket office closures in England, said:

“Despite the concerns of vulnerable passengers, Conservative ministers are ducking and diving from scrutiny.

“They refuse to say how many stations have alternatives to ticket offices, what the impact will be on jobs, or how it will hit vulnerable rail users.

“The Conservatives should come clean, and give passengers the answers they deserve.

“Railroading this decision in just three weeks, without proper consideration for staff and vulnerable passengers, only risks exacerbating the managed decline of the rail network.”