675 train stations across the UK are to be ticket office-less

So we are paying way above inflation for hikes in train tickets but what are we getting for that money? I don’t see a tonne of new rolling stock out there and with the new today that 675 train stations have been earmarked for having their ticket offices closed it is just another kick in the teeth for passengers.

If I’m just popping into town then I have no issue using a ticket machine but older people do not trust technology and I have to admit I won’t use a debit or credit card in an un-manned ticket machine. Far too easy for people to skim the details of your card. So if I’m wanting to use a longer route and not just a couple of quid then I want to get that ticket from a human in the ticket office. I don’t see why that shouldn’t be the norm – I mean rail passengers are paying through the nose so why can’t they expect a decent bit of customer service?

One of the stations earmarked for having no ticket office open any more is Shoeburyness down my way and that is a line terminus. It seems pretty stupid to me to have a line terminus with no ticket office but there are 674 more stations that are going to lose that face-to-face customer service that you expect.

I’m a big lover of trains. I’d be all for re-nationalising the train network the next time it is fiscally possible to do so. I also think the network needs proper investment and if it gets it then it could once again become an excellent mass transit operation that would reduce the stress on our overcrowded road network. I don’t think it is dumb to say that Dr. Beeching started the slide of the railways in the 60s and had he been able to he would have done even more damage – he wanted to shut-down many more lines including both lines to Southend from London. His vision was carried on by another Tory government culminating with the Railways Act of 1993 that set the wheels in motion for privatisation. This is one big black bruise that the tories are never going to be able to remove from their résumé.

This is just another knock on the head for railway passengers. The news will be released in a report by Sir Rory McNulty into how to save money on the train lines. Yes it will save money but sometimes it isn’t all about saving money. It is about providing a service worthy of what the customers pay for it and the customers is getting jilted left, right and centre by train companies and you get the feeling that some of them think of passengers’ needs more as an inconvenience than what it actually is.

The full list of train stations that have been earmarked to have their ticket offices unmanned are as follows alphabetically:

Aberdare
Accrington
Acocks Green
Acton Main Line
Adderley Park
Addlestone
Adlington (Cheshire)
Aigburth
Ainsdale
Aintree
Alderley Edge
Alfreton
Alnmouth
Alresford
Anerley
Angmering
Appleby
Apsley
Arlesey
Arundel
Ash
Ashtead
Ashton-under-Lyne
Ashwell & Morden
Aston
Atherton
Aughton Park
Aylesbury Vale Parkway
Aylesham
Bagshot
Balcombe
Baldock
Bank Hall
Bargoed
Barming
Barmouth
Barnstaple
Barry
Bebington
Beckenham Hill
Bedhampton
Bellingham
Belvedere
Bentley (Hants)
Berkswell
Berrylands
Berwick
Bescot Stadium
Beverley
Bexhill
Bidston
Billingshurst
Birchington-on-Sea
Birkdale
Birkenhead Central
Birkenhead North
Birkenhead Park
Blackhorse Road
Blake Street
Blundellsands & Crosby
Bookham
Bootle New Strand
Bootle Oriel Road
Bosham
Boston
Bourne End
Bowes Park
Bradford-on-Avon
Bramhall
Branksome
Bredbury
Brentford
Bridgwater
Brimsdown
Brinnington
Brixton
Broad Green
Broadbottom
Broadstairs
Bromborough
Bromborough Rake
Bromley Cross
Brondesbury
Brondesbury Park
Brookmans Park
Brough
Bruce Grove
Brunswick
Burnage
Burnham
Burnley Central
Bushey
Butlers Lane
Buxted
Buxton
Byfleet & New Haw
Cadoxton
Caledonian Road & Barnsbury
Camborne
Canley
Carpenders Park
Carshalton Beeches
Castle Bar Park
Cathays
Chafford Hundred
Chandlers Ford
Charing
Charlbury
Chassen Road
Cheddington
Chessington South
Chester Road
Chestfield & Swalecliffe
Chipstead
Chiswick
Cholsey
Christs Hospital
Clandon
Colchester Town
Coleshill Parkway
Congleton
Conway Park
Cooden Beach
Cookham
Corby
Coseley
Cradley Heath
Cressington
Crewkerne
Cricklewood
Crofton Park
Cross Gates
Crouch Hill
Crowborough
Crowhurst
Crowthorne
Cwmbran
Dagenham Dock
Daisy Hill
Datchet
Davenport
Deal
Denham
Deptford
Dinting
Disley
Dormans
Dorridge
Dovercourt
Downham Market
Drayton Park
Droitwich Spa
Duddeston
Dudley Port
Durrington-on-Sea
Earlestown
Earlswood (Surrey)
East Didsbury
East Dulwich
East Tilbury
Eastham Rake
Eccles
Eccleston Park
Eden Park
Edenbridge Town
Edge Hill
Elephant & Castle
Ellesmere Port
Elsenham
Elstree & Borehamwood
Emsworth
Enfield Lock
Erdington
Eridge
Erith
Essex Road
Etchingham
Evesham
Ewell East
Eynsford
Falmer
Farningham Road
Farnworth
Farringdon
Fazakerley
Feniton
Finchley Road & Frognal
Fishguard Harbour
Flint
Flixton
Folkestone Harbour
Folkestone West
Ford
Formby
Four Oaks
Frant
Freshfield
Frimley
Frinton-on-Sea
Fulwell
Furze Platt
Garforth
Garswood
Gatley
Gipsy Hill
Glazebrook
Gobowen
Gogar
Goole
Goring & Streatley
Goring-by-Sea
Gorton
Grange Park
Grange-over-Sands
Gravelly Hill
Great Bentley
Great Chesterford
Great Missenden
Green Lane
Greeneld
Greenhithe for Bluewater
Guide Bridge
Hackbridge
Hackney Wick
Haddenham & Thame Parkway
Hadfield
Hadley Wood
Hag Fold
Hagley
Hale
Halewood
Hall Green
Hall Road
Ham Street
Hampden Park
Hampton-in-Arden
Hamstead
Hamworthy
Handforth
Hanwell
Harlesden
Harlow Mill
Harrietsham
Harringay Green Lanes
Harwich International
Hatch End
Hattersley
Haydons Road
Headstone Lane
Heald Green
Heaton Chapel
Hebden Bridge
Hedge End
Hendon
Henley-On-Thames
Hertford East
Higham
Hightown
Hillside
Hilsea
Hinchley Wood
Hinckley
Hindley
Hinton Admiral
Holmes Chapel
Holyhead
Homerton
Hooton
Hough Green
Hoylake
Hunts Cross
Hurst Green
Ifield
Imperial Wharf
Iver
James Street
Jewellery Quarter
Kearsney
Kenley
Kensal Green
Kensal Rise
Kentish Town West
Kenton
Kidsgrove
Kilburn High Road
Kingham
Kings Langley Kingswood
Kirkby
Kirkdale
Kirkham & Wesham
Knebworth
Knockholt
Ladywell
Langley
Langley Green
Lea Green
Lea Hall
Leasowe
Ledbury
Lenham
Leominster
Levenshulme
Leyton Midland Road
Leytonstone High Road
Lichfield Trent Valley
Limehouse
Lingfield
Littlehaven
Llandaf
Llandrindod Wells
Llandudno
Llanelli
London Road (Brighton)
Long Buckby
Longbridge
Lostock
Loughborough Junction
Lower Sydenham
Ludlow
Lye
Lymington Town
Machynlleth
Maghull
Maidstone West
Malden Manor
Malton
Malvern Link
Manor Road
March
Marden
Marston Green
Martin Mill
Mauldeth Road
Meldreth
Melton Mowbray
Menston
Meols
Merthyr Tydfil
Micheldever
Milford (Surrey)
Mitcham Eastfields
Mitcham Junction
Moorgate
Moorside
Moreton (Merseyside)
Moreton-in-Marsh
Morpeth
Mortimer
Mossley
Mossley Hill
Moulsecoomb
Muirend
Narborough
Netley
New Beckenham
New Brighton
New Mills Central
New Mills
Newtown
New Pudsey
New Southgate
Newhaven Town
Newington
Newport (Essex)
Newton for Hyde
Newton-le-Willows
Newtown (Powys)
North Camp
North Dulwich
North Sheen
North Wembley
Northfield
Northfleet
Northolt Park
Northumberland Park
Northwich
Nunhead
Oakham
Ockendon
Old Hill
Old Roan
Old Street
Oldham Mumps
Olton
Orrell Park
Overton
Pangbourne
Par
Parbold
Parkstone (Dorset)
Penarth
Penge West
Perry Barr
Pevensey & Westham
Pluckley
Plumpton
Pokesdown
Port Sunlight
Portchester
Poulton-le-Fylde
Poynton
Prescot
Prittlewell
Pwllheli
Queenborough
Queens Road, Peckham
Radyr
Rainhill
Ravensbourne
Reading West
Rectory Road
Redcar Central
Reddish North
Reedham (Surrey)
Riddlesdown
Robertsbridge
Roby
Rock Ferry
Romiley
Romsey
Rose Hill Marple
Rotherham Central
Rowlands Castle
Rowley Regis
Roydon
Runcorn East
Ryde Esplanade
Ryde Pier Head
Rye
Rye House
Salford Central
Salfords
Sandbach
Sandhills
Sandling
Sandwich
Sandy
Sankey for Penketh
Sawbridgeworth
Seaforth & Litherland
Seer Green
Selby
Settle
Severn Tunnel Junction
Shanklin
Shaw & Crompton
Sheerness-on-Sea
Shelford
Shenstone
Shepherds Well
Shirley
Shoeburyness
Shotton (H Level & Low Level)
Skegness
Slade Green
Sleaford
Small Heath
Smethwick Galton Bridge
Smethwick Rolfe Street
Smitham (for Coulsdon)
Sole Street
South Acton
South Bermondsey
South Hampstead
South Kenton
South Tottenham
Southbourne Southbury
Southwick
Spalding
Spital
Spring Road
St Annes-on-the-Sea St Denys
St Erth
St Helens Junction
St Johns
St Margarets (Hertfordshire)
St Michaels
Stamford
Stamford Hill
Stansted Mountfitchet
Stechford
Stoke Mandeville
Stoke Newington
Stone Crossing
Stonegate
Stonehouse
Stourbridge Town
Sturry
Sundridge Park
Swanscombe
Swanwick
Sway
Swaythling
Swinton (Gtr. Manchester)
Swinton (South Yorks.)
Sydenham Hill
Tadworth
Tame Bridge Parkway
Taplow
Tattenham Corner
Templecombe
Teynham
Thatcham
Thatto Heath
The Hawthorns
Theale
Thetford
Thirsk
Thorne North
Thorpe-Le-Soken
Tile Hill
Tilehurst
Tipton
Tisbury
Tolworth
Tooting
Totton
Town Green
Trefforest
Turkey Street
Tyseley
Uckfield
Ulverston
Upper Halliford
Upper Holloway
Urmston
Walkden
Wallasey Grove Road
Wallasey Village
Walmer
Waltham Cross
Walthamstow Queens Road
Walton (Merseyside)
Walton-On-Naze
Wansted Park
Warblington
Warminster
Waterloo Merseyside
Watlington
Watton-At-Stone
Welham Green
Wellington (Salop)
Welwyn North
Wendover
West Allerton
West Brompton
West Drayton
West Dulwich
West Ealing
West Hampstead (Thameslink)
West Horndon
West Kirby
West St Leonards
West Sutton
Westgate-On-Sea
Whaley Bridge
Whiston
Whitchurch (Hants.)
White Hart Lane
Whitehaven
Whittlesford Parkway
Whyteleafe
Whyteleafe South
Widnes
Widney Manor
Windermere
Winnersh Triangle
Witley
Witton
Wivelsfield
Wivenhoe
Woldingham
Wolverton
Woodgrange Park
Woodmansterne
Woodsmoor
Wool
Woolston
Woolwich Dockyard
Workington
Worksop
Worplesdon
Wye
Wylde Green
Wythall
Yardley Wood
Yatton
Yeovil Pen Mill
Ystrad Mynach

I hope you enjoyed this blog post. Please leave any comments or contact me directly via the E-Mail Me link on the Right Hand Nav. You can stay in touch with the blog following me on Twitter or by liking the blog on Facebook. Please share this content via the Social Media links below if you think anyone else would enjoy reading.