A Cambuslang woman is urging people who use the town’s rail station to help retain its ticket office’s current opening hours.
ScotRail has announced plans to reduce the opening hours of 54 ticket offices across Scotland, including the one on Main Street.
Grandmother Margaret Cochrane is backing an online petition that’s been launched by the trade union TSSA (Transport Salaried Staffs Association) Scotland, that is calling on the Scottish Government to direct ScotRail to abandon “dangerous reductions” in ticket office hours.
TSSA Scotland add that stations left unstaffed jeopardises the safety of passengers, including that of women and vulnerable passengers.
And while 73-year-old Margaret is only an occasional rail traveller, she say it’s vital to have the assistance of ticket office staff to advise on the best fares as well as safety.
She said: “My granddaughters use the train back and forward from Cambuslang a lot to go to uni and into town. And I do use the train sometimes myself when I’m going into the town, because of parking.
“This is just another move to cut staff. Travelling can be very stressful and dangerous these days, and the absence of employees on hand to help is totally unacceptable.
“You really need people on a desk, they’ve already shut down a number of ticket offices and I feel this is them moving in on the rest of them.
“I’ve got to know the staff over the years and they are always dead helpful, especially when the kids are getting tickets. They also help with telling people the best ways to go and where to change, and things like that.
“I can understand things being put in place to benefit services but this is about profiteering, and cutting staff. It’s happening all over; supermarkets, banks, everywhere.
“They’re taking away customer service everywhere, so we’re actually having to do everything for ourselves now. It’s almost as if we’re working for these companies but unpaid.”
”Blantyre, Rutherglen, Croftfoot, and Burnside stations will also be affected by the proposed changes.
TSSA Scotland’s petition is calling on Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, to direct ScotRail to abandon “dangerous reductions” in ticket office hours and commit to keeping stations staffed in the future.
Pam Duncan-Glancy MSP, who hold surgeries in Rutherglen, said: “Plans to reduce the opening hours of 31 ticket offices across the Glasgow region are causing serious alarm amongst my constituents, who are concerned these plans with make the railway less accessible.
“Disabled passengers value a visible staff presence at stations to ensure assistance is provided. Proposals to repurpose ticket office staff to create ‘mobility teams’ are countered by the fact these teams will be mobile and cannot be present at every station where staff are currently located.
“At a time when we should be making public transport more accessible, it is deeply regrettable that these proposals will further exclude disabled people from the railway”.
Maryam Eslamdoust, General Secretary of the TSSA union who represent ticket office staff, said: “The Scottish Government must think again. Ticket office staff are more than retailers – they provide a key contact point for disabled passengers and a safe place for women and girls travelling alone or at night.
“Scottish railways should be open and welcoming to all. These closures will make our public transport network less accessible and less safe. We must have fully staffed ticket offices with no reduction in opening hours”.
Phil Campbell, ScotRail Customer Operations Director, 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.”
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