Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the impact of their requirement for all submissions to their consultation on the closure of railway ticket offices to be made by email on the balance of opinion in the responses to the consultation, and (2) whether this requirement will exclude those who use ticket offices because they do not have access to the internet.

If passengers wish to raise views, they can send a letter to both passenger bodies – London TravelWatch or Transport Focus – using the same freepost address: RTEH-XAGE-BYKZ, PO Box 5594, Southend on Sea, SS1 9PZ. Train operators have also made information relating to their consultations available on their websites.

Under the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement process, train operating companies are required to put notices at stations advising passengers of any proposals. We would expect train operating companies to make sure their consultations are accessible. To propose any changes to the opening hours of a station ticket office, or propose its closure, train operating companies must follow the longstanding process set out in the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement.