PROTESTS against government plans to shut railway ticket offices across Britain escalated today, with demonstrations at more than 30 stations.

From Edinburgh to London and in other major cities including Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham, the demonstrations by rail union RMT were joined by members of trades councils, disability campaigners and passenger groups demanding that the closure proposals be dumped.

The Association of British Commuters has exposed the train operators’ lie that redundant ticket office staff will be deployed elsewhere at stations to assist passengers. 

In the West Midlands alone, 137 stations will be left unstaffed, the association said.

Protests have already forced the government to extend a three-week consultation on the closures.

At Halifax station in West Yorkshire, RMT members were joined by Calderdale Trades Union Council and local Labour MP Holly Lynch.

Ms Lynch told the Morning Star: “I have asked questions in the House of Commons and we have got to keep that up.

“There are on-peak services, off-peak services. People need to ask what is the best ticket to buy. They go to the ticket office to find out.

“But it isn’t only about supporting people who need ticket offices. In the north, we have got constant chaos on our railways — delayed services, cancelled services, fragmentation.

“We have to mobilise everyone who uses rail ticket offices. It is a call for action. People must make their voices heard.”

The government has said that only 12 per cent of passengers use ticket offices for transactions. The rest use a ticket machine or book online. 

But RMT research at Halifax shows that only 12 per cent of passengers use the ticket machine.

Peter Keale, a member of performers’ union Equity and of Calderdale Trades Union Council, took part in today’s protest at the station.

He told the Morning Star: “The trades council stands solidly behind RMT in its campaign to save ticket offices. 

“It’s an important service, part of what we think is vital for our public transport system.

“We actually need improvements to the service, not cuts.”