Pitlochry station’s ticket office opening hours are set to be reduced as part of a “deeply disappointing” move from Scotrail as it focuses on digital ticket sales.
Its ticket office will shut an hour and a half earlier Monday to Saturday – and an hour and twenty minutes earlier on Sundays.
Highland Perthshire councillors and Highland Main Line Community Rail Partnership this week expressed dismay at the move.
Scotrail is proposing to reduce ticket office opening hours at 54 stations across Scotland. There will be no change to the opening hours at the remaining 77 staffed stations.
Scotrail pointed to an assessment published in 2021 which showed “a dramatic increase” in the number of tickets bought on the ScotRail website, app, or at ticket machines, “with a significant decrease in customers buying at ticket offices” adding: “In the past 10 years alone, there has been a 50 per cent drop in ticket office sales.”
Currently the Pitlochry station ticket office’s opening hours are 8.05am to 18.30pm Monday to Saturday and 10.40am to 6.20pm Sundays.
Under the new plans Pitlochry station ticket office will be open from 8.05am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 10.40am to 5pm Sundays.
Conservative Highland Perthshire councillor John Duff said: “It is disappointing that the customer facilities at Pitlochry train station are being further eroded through the reduction in opening hours.
“I appreciate that fewer customers are purchasing their tickets at the ticket office, however, the staff provide more than just a ticket selling service.
“The loss of over 10 hours of staffing each week will reduce cover for the early evening services which pass through Pitlochry and potentially impact residents and visitors, particularly those with disabilities, who may need a hand boarding or dismounting the train.”
And Highland Perthshire SNP councillor Bailie Mike Williamson said: “Pitlochry is an important tourist destination which relies upon its railway station.
“It’s important that assistance is still made available to those who need it. It’s appropriate that Pitlochry continues to benefit from a well-staffed and accessible ticket office.”
Pitlochry Station Liaison Group convener and member of the Highland Main Line Community Rail Partnership committee Kate Howie described the move as “deeply disappointing.”
She added: “Pitlochry is a tourist town. This will have a huge effect. Especially with the arrival of the weekdays LNER service from London at 6.25pm. The ticket office is vital to provide customer support and advice.”
Scotrail said it would provide “significant notice” to customers before changes to ticket office opening hours – expected in 2025 – took place.
ScotRail customer operations director Phil Campbell, said: “The independent passenger watchdog Transport Focus carried out an extensive consultation on these proposals, which received feedback from thousands of people across Scotland. We have listened to our customers and updated our proposals based on that feedback.
“These changes will provide a service that is better suited for today and the ticket-buying habits of our customers, as well as create an environment that improves safety and customer support.”
Scotrail said that nationally 16 per cent of sales are via ticket offices, with 90 percent of those sales from 20 stations; 20 per cent of sales are via ticket vending machines (TVMs) at stations, and 43 per cent of tickets are online, through the website or the app.