1 week Ago
This is following the decision of ScotRail to cut ticket office opening hours at 101 of its 143 staffed stations across Scotland. Included in these are several Inverclyde stations including Greenock Central and Gourock. I have been arguing against these cuts for some time.
ScotRail was brought into public ownership in 2022, which was the right move. However the Scottish Government needs to build on this with greater investment and expanded high quality services for the rail network. There are real safety concerns raised by these cuts, particularly for women passengers.
We know from the Scottish Government’s own research that women feel more comfortable if ticket offices are open and staffed, especially later at night. Almost all women report that they ‘very often’ or ‘always’ feel unsafe when using public transport, with stories of intimidation, harassment and assault being sadly far too common. A wider staff presence, including those who are reliably found at ticket offices, help to reduce these fears and increase safety.
Ticket office staff do not only function as retailers, but act as a point of contact for all passengers on the railway and provide a comforting presence to vulnerable passengers. This move will reduce accessibility for all passengers, disproportionately affecting the elderly and disabled people that use ticket offices more often than other passengers. I have heard from constituents across the West Scotland region which I represent, who are unhappy with these cuts and I am writing directly to Cabinet Secretary Fiona Hyslop to ask that the Scottish Government reverses them.
It is so important that our rail network is strong and continues to expand, so this is the wrong direction for the Scottish Government to be moving in..
