Wilmslow Town Council objects to planned closure of Wilmslow Station's booking office

Northern Railway is constulting on plans to close the ticket office at Wilmslow station.

Wilmslow Town Council’s response to the plans is as follows:

“The Changes to Wilmslow Booking office propose its total closure.  Wilmslow Town Council objects to this proposal as Wilmslow is a Class C2 important feeder station classed as a busy railhead by the Department for Transport.  It is served by local, inter-urban and Inter-City trains for a variety of train operating companies.

“Wilmslow Station’s booking office processes complex travel tickets for people and this service is important for visitors, new passengers and people not used to booking tickets online or by telephone.  Some groups in society are known to face greater challenges using technology to book tickets online, by phone or by using ticket machines – these being disabled and older service users. In Wilmslow, 20% of the population is over 65 and this figure is projected to increase over the next 10 years.  Both age and disability are protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act (2010), in the absence of an Equality Impact Assessment it is the view of Wilmslow Town Council that the proposed changes would disproportionately negatively impact protected groups and is therefore discriminatory.

“Wilmslow Town Council believes this face-to-face service provides a valuable service and should be retained.

“Network Rail has been considering plans to re-develop the station with enhanced facilities and enhanced interchange. Withdrawing the booking office service flies directly in the face of these plans.

“At the conclusion of the consultation, should the decision be taken to close ticket offices, Wilmslow Town Council believes that simplification and standardisation of ticketing is an essential pre-requisite. This is particularly the case for Wilmslow which is served by three different train operating companies which all have their own ticketing policies.”