Sheffield train station’s ticket offices will remain open after plans to close hundreds of ticket offices across England were scrapped.
The Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said the government had told train stations across England to cancel the closure of the ticket offices because it would fail to meet high passenger standards.
Sheffield train station would have been one of 479 train stations covered by the Northern Rail network to have their ticket offices closed, after it was announced that only 12% of tickets were brought in person.
Jean Griffin, 76, who regularly uses the train to see her grandchildren in Leeds, said: “This is a blessing. My phone is not modern enough for me to download loads of things like tickets, and I would not be able to do it anyway.
“I’m grateful the traditional face-to-face way of buying things will continue because it’s important for people our age to have these meetings and to be able to purchase tickets without being excluded.”
However, there are concerns over the accessibility of ticket machines in six of Sheffield train stations and the capabilities of the outdated machines.
There is also apprehension about the future of how passengers will get assistance or information.
Disability groups and unions raised concerns after the plans were announced in February.
The RMT said they were delighted to hear the cancellation of the planned closures after they had warned the government that 2000 jobs were at risk.
These jobs are vital for members of the disabled community, as the staff provide assistance for those who are blind, visually impaired or have cognitive impairments, to safely navigate the stations.
Without staffed offices, many disabled people would have to rely on unreliable ‘help points’, which are often difficult to find, not clearly sign-posted, and sometimes too high for wheelchair users to reach.
Passenger watchdog, Transport Focus held a public consultation, where 99% of the 1500 respondents expressed opposition to the planned closures, with accessibility issues being their main concern.
The Covid-19 pandemic was blamed for the physical tickets declining by 28%, compared to pre-pandemic levels.
In September, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said closing ticket offices was the right thing for the British public and British taxpayers.