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Boris Johnson to cut opening hours at 90 per cent of Tube ticket offices
Martin Robinson19 Jul 2010
Ticket offices at nine out of 10 Underground stations are set to have reduced opening hours from February, Boris Johnson has announced.
The Mayor has been accused of breaking his manifesto promise to keep permanently manned ticket booths at every station but he believes it would be “foolish” not to make these changes.
Many of London's busiest Tube stations will soon have ticket offices open for less time while others will be shut completely at points during the day.
At Bank, one of the capital's largest underground stations, it has been proposed that ticket offices will be open for about four and a half hours less per day, while 45 other stations will only be open for three hours a day. Others like Euston, Victoria and King's Cross St Pancras will open later and close earlier.
The Mayor — who signed a petition opposing Ken Livingstone's proposals to shut ticket offices in 2008 — says ticket office staff would be better used out in the station helping people at gates or platforms because so many passengers now buy tickets from machines or use Oyster.
Mr Johnson has also been accused of failing to seek public opinion on the proposals, after it was revealed that a consultation had started without any formal announcement.
Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat leader at City Hall, said: “The Mayor was elected on a clear commitment to keep ticket offices open. His plans to have many closed for most of the day flies in the face of his election commitment. This is an absolute sham of a consultation. If the Mayor really thinks he is consulting Londoners he obviously needs to look up what the word actually means in the dictionary.”
Mr Johnson has admitted that jobs would be cut as part of the move but would not say how many. Other sources put the figure at 450.
But today the Mayor insisted: “There are no plans to close ticket offices because all stations which currently have a service will continue to do so. What we are doing is revising the opening hours.
“There is no point having someone behind a glass screen when they could be out there helping people.
“So few journeys now need a ticket office. Most people use an automatic payment system. While that is growing it would be foolish to continue [with ticket offices].”
Comment on the proposals at tfl.gov.uk
Reader views (8)
Its about time the ticket gates at the new Dalston Junction Station recognised travelcards issued by C2C!!
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 22/07/2010 12:42
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Bit premature we have not all been chipped yet
- Bill, HHeath, 19/07/2010 14:09
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I'm surprised The Evening Standard didn't headline this story "Boris Under Fire..." or "Fury as Boris cuts ticket offices" or some such, as this seems to be the only way that the newspaper can now report anything The Mayor does.
- Steve E, London, UK, 19/07/2010 12:36
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Now that almost everyone uses Oyster, we don't need someone sitting in the ticket offices all the time.
What we do need, is that all stations are *supervised* whenever they are open, so that they don't get vandalized or become crime hot-spots like so many of the suburban national rail stations have become. In support of this, witness the improvement of the Overground stations taken over from Silverlink.
- Nigel, London, 19/07/2010 12:22
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Another broken promise from big Boris
- Colin, Fremont, 19/07/2010 12:02
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It is not the point of the ticket offices being open or not (if I can't buy a ticket it's no great shakes really - not my problem), but the cutting of staff at Tube stations which is the issue. There should be no staff cuts as there are too few of them at outer stations as it is, and their removal will definately make the Tube more dangerous.
- Rod, Epping, UK, 19/07/2010 11:49
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What i would like to see is someone monitoring the larger gates to stop people sneeking through behind someone or with their friend travelling and so travelling for free. Even when the tube staff see them they very rarely challenge them. If i have to pay full fare i dont see why others feel they have the right to travel on it for free
- Graham, London, 19/07/2010 11:34
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Boris, keep breaking your manifesto pledges and you are going to be humiliated at the next election.
- Steve, London, 19/07/2010 11:03
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