Huge thanks to everyone challenging the rail ticket-office closures. The consultation is now being challenged in the Courts https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/train-ticket-office-cull-chaos-30552780 and seems to have been extended until September.
You too can still have your-not-very-accessible say: Transport Focus , London TravelWatch
There’s a strong argument that the closures discriminate against people with disabilities. The good news is that my own MP, Suella Braverman, knows about the Equality Act as she’s a King’s Counsel and former Attorney General. Even better, Transport Secretary Mark Harper knows all about disabled people: he spent 3 years fighting for our rights in the Shadow Cabinet and then became the actual Minister for Disabled People in Government. Could we have better champions?
I did a little tv interview for BBC South Today which you can catch if you are quick: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001p3n2/south-today-lunchtime-news-25072023 (I feature at 4:10 minutes in) or https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001p3n5/south-today-evening-news-25072023 (I feature at 11:46 minutes in).
And they did an article too: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-66257793
The response from various officials shows how they miss the point. They keep saying that stations will have staff but they still don’t say how we will find them! If there are always staff at a fixed point near the station entrance from whom I can buy my ticket, I’ll be happy and don’t care if it’s not called a ticket office. Another solution sent to me: give all blind people free rail passes and solve the problems at a stroke!
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