Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of ticket office closures on rail passengers who require face-to-face services to purchase tickets.

The process for train operators to propose any changes to the opening hours of ticket offices or for closing ticket offices is set out in the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement. This regulates what train operators do in terms of fares ticketing and retailing across the network. Applications for changes can be proposed under a Major Change process if:

(a) the change would represent an improvement on current arrangements in terms of quality of service and/or cost effectiveness; and

(b) members of the public would continue to enjoy widespread and easy access to the purchase of rail products, notwithstanding the change.