RAIL union RMT is set to hold a national day of action on Tuesday against plans by Tory ministers and rail bosses to close nearly all ticket offices across the rail network.

The campaign, backed by fellow transport union TSSA, will see demonstrations at stations including York, Birmingham New Street, London Kings Cross and many other stations. 

Moves to axe close to 1,000 offices from next month are “clearly about protecting the profits of train companies by further de-staffing the rail network,” the union’s general secretary Mick Lynch charged. 

“As well as thousands of job losses, this will obviously create accessibility problems for the elderly, people with disabilities and overseas visitors who may not have English as their first language.

“The planned closures are part of a wider industry attack on jobs and services at a time when the private rail industry is taking in excess of £500 million in profits annually and many rail bosses have £1m-plus pay packets,” he said.

Campaign group We Own It endorsed the action. Director Cat Hobbs said: “Passengers want a human being they can turn to for help, not just a machine.

“Instead of abandoning passengers with a second-class service, this government should be making it easy for people to take the train.”

Research by the government’s own public transport watchdog, Transport Focus, has found that passengers “like and value having staff around.”

But despite admitting that one in every eight tickets are still bought over the counter, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has claimed that any plan to reform the network would “move staff away from where they are not needed, like ticket offices.”

Nottingham, Derby, Manchester Piccadilly, Plymouth and Berwick are set to be among some of the other stations targeted by Tueday’s campaign.