Ticket automation plan was “too soon”

QR codes will replace cash and human interaction, says councillor

The world is being boxed up and made into a QR code! That’s the view of one  North Devon Conservative councillor who has welcomed his party’s U-turn on making railway station ticketing fully automated.

Plans to close most of the country’s railway ticket offices were shelved by the government this week after huge public opposition, not least in Barnstaple, where nearly half of railway users purchase tickets from the office.

Rail operators including Great Western Railway wanted to “modernise” the service and claimed only 12 per cent of passengers bought tickets at offices, with the majority buying online or from ticket machines.

But the 750,000 responses to a public consultation were almost all against the move.

Leader of the Conservative group on North Devon Council Cllr Paul Crabb (Ilfracombe East) said it was “too soon” to get rid of ticket offices.

“Everything is being steered away from using cash and it’s all going to be a QR code in the future. The whole world is going that way. We are all being boxed up and made into a QR code. Talking to someone face to face will be a thing of the past.

“It’s not the right time to close ticket offices and go fully automated and certainly not in Barnstaple as it is really well used. The whole thing has been poorly considered. Some elderly people do not know the bottom from the top of a smart phone or how to use apps.”

Liberal Democrat leader of North Devon Council Ian Roome (Barnstaple North) called the U-turn a “victory for common sense.”

He said the Lib Dems had joined the unions and disability groups in opposing the £500 million cost-cutting plan to close 980 offices across the country.

“These proposals should have been shot down long ago. The nature of this last minute U-turn just highlights how directionless this government has become.

“Lurching from bad decisions to embarrassing U-turns is no way to run a country. North Devon and the UK as a whole deserves better.”

Cllr Roome said earlier this year that the closure would significantly impact a large portion of the population, particularly those with accessibility challenges and the older generation who are not as tech-savvy.

“Northern Devon is home to a diverse community, and accessibility remains a significant concern for many residents in this region,” he said.

“By providing a staffed ticket office, Great Western Railway ensures that passengers with disabilities, reduced mobility, and other accessibility issues can access essential travel services with ease.”

During the 2022-23 period, Barnstaple’s ticket office accounted for 46 per cent of all tickets sold, totalling 77,466 sales.

“This substantial figure demonstrates that the ticket office is a vital and widely-used resource, and its closure would result in severe inconvenience and disruption to a significant portion of the population.”

Conservative MP for North Devon Selaine Saxby said she is “very glad” that train companies and Transport Focus had listened and withdrawn their proposals to close the ticket office at Barnstaple train station.

“This is what consultations are for, I was against these proposals from the start.

“We can and should be doing more and moving forward, I would like to see GWR invest in our much loved Barnstaple station, enhance the facilities that we already have and make them even better so that residents and tourists can travel comfortably.”

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the government had made it clear to the rail industry throughout the process that any resulting proposals must meet a high threshold of serving passengers.

“We have engaged with accessibility groups throughout this process and listened carefully to passengers as well as my colleagues in parliament. The proposals that have resulted from this process do not meet the high thresholds set by ministers, and so the Government has asked train operators to withdraw their proposals.

“We will continue our work to reform our railways with the expansion of contactless Pay As You Go ticketing, making stations more accessible through our Access for All programme and £350 million funding through our Network North plan to improve accessibility at up to 100 stations.”