Southeastern Railway has announced plans to potentially close 40 ticket offices at stations across south London. The rail company initiated a consultation process on July 5 to gather feedback on the proposal.
According to the company, the planned closures target ticket offices that sell fewer than 50 tickets per day and already have Pay As You Go services available. As an alternative, Southeastern intends to establish “travel centres” at its 14 busiest stations. These travel centres would offer travel information and ticketing solutions to commuters.
A spokesperson from Southeastern explained that out of the 40 stations at risk, 16 have been selling ten or fewer tickets daily at their windows. Sundridge Park station in Bromley reportedly did not sell any tickets during the observed four-week period in May, while Brixton, St Johns, New Beckenham, and Lower Sydenham stations sold only one ticket per day on average.
The proposed changes aim to optimize staff availability for face-to-face customer assistance and promote the implementation of self-service technology. Southeastern also cited the need to reduce costs, noting a decrease of 63 million journeys between 2019 and 2023. The company, as a public sector organization, relies on a taxpayer subsidy exceeding £1 million per day.
The rail company anticipates that the reduction in ticket offices will lead to a decrease in staff numbers at medium and larger-sized stations. However, Southeastern emphasized that enhanced training will enable better overall customer support. Additionally, 18 currently unstaffed stations due to vacancies, including Belvedere, Eden Park, and Lower Sydenham, are slated to have staff added.
Southeastern’s long-term plan is to eventually close all ticket offices in South London. A subsequent consultation in the autumn will address an additional 90 offices. The company intends to engage with the public, unions, and staff during the consultation process and consider all potential options. The proposed closures would be implemented over the course of the next two years.
The travel centres would be established at prominent London stations such as St Pancras International, Charing Cross, Victoria, London Bridge, Bromley South, and Dartford.
On the same day, the Rail Delivery Group unveiled plans to relocate staff from ticket offices to station platforms to facilitate improved face-to-face interactions. Train operators will be initiating consultations, facilitated by Transport Focus and London TravelWatch, to discuss these proposals.
Steve White, Southeastern’s Managing Director, emphasized the need for change, stating that an overhaul of station operations is long overdue. He added that the proposed consultation aims to provide customers with better support and wider assistance, including accessibility services and deterring anti-social behavior.
For a complete list of stations at risk of ticket office closure and those proposed to have a travel centre, visit the Southeastern website. The company encourages public engagement and input during this consultation process.
Southeastern Railway has revealed a list of 40 stations in south London that could have their ticket offices closed.
