Morecambe train station ticket office on the list of 1,000 to be axed

This comes after Avanti announced a 21-day consultation for 20 stations including Lancaster.

Northern Trains have today, Thursday, announced a 23-day consultation for 131 stations including Morecambe.

The proposals include:

*Introducing a new multi-skilled Journey Maker role at stations which will mean rail staff are accessible and available when needed the most

“Adapting to the significant reduction in the use of ticket offices nationally by: closing ticket offices at 131 stations; making changes to ticket office hours at 18 stations.

Passengers will now be forced to use train operators' apps or websites to buy tickets, use the self-service machines at stations or "tap in" with contactless or Oyster cards.

Northern Trains said they plan to close ticket offices in phases over an 18-month period, subject to the outcome of the consultation.

Customers will be provided with range of options to buy a ticket before they board a train.

These will be ticket machines at all affected Northern stations (pay by card), online (Northern website or app) (pay by card); at 18 stations where ticket offices will remain (cash and card) and local retail outlets (cash and card).

Where available, staff will support customers to buy tickets at ticket machines or through the customers’ own mobile device.

Customers who can only pay with cash and do not have access to a ticket office should get a Promise to Pay notice from a ticket machine before getting onto a train.

A Promise to Pay notice allows them to board a train as long as they exchange the notice for a ticket (and pay in cash) at the first opportunity, either on board (from the conductor), or from a ticket office.

Under proposals for Morecambe ticket office, it would be closed and there would be no member of staff to help travellers buy tickets.

A Rail Delivery Group spokesperson said: “Alongside public consultations, train operators have issued a letter to trade unions which opens consultation on managing the transition in a way that minimises the impact of the changes - examples include moving to a new multi skilled role and comprehensive re-training and re-skilling, staff moving to other roles and the potential for a voluntary severance scheme.

"Train companies are committed to treating staff, who are hugely valued, fairly and will continue to engage constructively with unions at a local level to manage the transition."

People have commented on Facebook about the proposed closure of ticket offices in Lancaster and Morecambe.

Julie Buczynski said: “Leave the ticket office alone, not everyone wants to buy tickets online, I certainly don't, what is happening to freedom of choice, there won't be any choices soon.”

Mark Howson said: “Internet failure or system goes down no tickets, no cash. They can’t even get the trains on time never mind to go automated.”

Full details of the proposals and the public consultation by Northern Trains for the Morecambe ticket office to close can be found at https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/consultation-2023

You can share your views until July 28 when the consultation period ends.

For full details of the Avanti proposals and public consultation for Lancaster ticket office https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/consultation and https://www.raildeliverygroup.com/uk-rail-industry/customer-focused-reform/customer-focused-stations.html

You can share your views for the next 20 days until the consultation ends.