Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with South Western Railway on ticket office closures.

The Department has regular meetings with South Western Railway, as it does with all train operating companies, to discuss a wide range of topics, including how best to operate stations and serve passenger needs in the most efficient and effective way.

Together with the rail industry, we want to improve and modernise the passenger experience, and moving staff out from behind the glass of ticket offices and into more visible and accessible roles around stations is a central part of this.