Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he plans to take to ensure that people without internet access are able to book train tickets in the event that Government proposals to close railway ticket offices are enacted.

We are committed to ensuring the railways are accessible for all passengers, and the reforms as outlined in the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail will be centered around improving the customer experience. A fully functioning and passenger focused railway is vital in building an economic recovery from the pandemic. However, the rail industry must modernise to meet the demands of passengers while reducing the cost to the taxpayer.

Staff will always provide face-to-face services on the railways, which is crucial for those who need additional support and those who cannot or do not want to use contactless or mobile tickets or booking systems.

No final decision has been taken on ticket offices. The reality is that ticket offices have seen a significant decline in use over the last decade, yet numbers have not substantially changed since then. Potential reforms in this area would allow station staff to better meet the needs of passengers by providing a more personal service. These reforms should provide greater flexibility for industry to deploy staff where they will offer the greatest value to customers.