All railway station ticket offices in the Black Country to close apart from two

Industry body the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) unveiled proposals which could lead to nearly all offices in England being shut, with facilities only remaining open at the busiest stations.

It said moving ticket office staff on to station platforms and concourses would "modernise customer service".

It comes as the rail industry is under pressure from the Government to save money amid the drop in revenue caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

West Midlands Railway and Avanti West Coast, which manage ticket offices at stations in Birmingham, Staffordshire and the Black Country, have both launched public consultations over the proposed changes, but there are already fears the move could lead to job losses and put some vulnerable passengers off train travel.

The companies, alongside other train operators in England, say they are proposing to bring employees out from behind ticket office windows to be closer to customers as many passengers are choosing to book online or use self-service ticket machines.

Under the plans, over the next three years West Midlands Railway is proposing to close tickets offices at Bescot Stadium; Coseley; Dudley Port; Hagley; Kidderminster; Lichfield City; Lichfield Trent Valley; Rowley Regis; Shenstone; Smethwick Rolfe Street; Smethwick Galton Bridge; Stourbridge Town; Tipton; Tame Bridge Parkway, Sandwell & Dudley, and Stourbridge Junction, which is also home to George the Station Cat.

Meanwhile, Avanti West Coast plans to close ticket office windows at Stafford railway station, Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International stations.

West Midlands Railway would retain six hub stations across the network – Birmingham Snow Hill, Sutton Coldfield, University, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Worcester Foregate Street, where staff would be on hand on platforms and concourses to help with journey planning, finding the right ticket and supporting passengers with accessibility needs.

Mobile teams would move between stations, offering extra help where needed.

Plans also include upgrading ticket vending machines, giving staff hand-held devices and new customer help points.

Ian McConnell, managing director of West Midlands Railway, said: “We need to evolve with our customers, as well as creating a more sustainable railway that’s fit for the future.

“Our proposals would mean staff being more visible and available where customers most need them; on concourses and platforms to help with journey planning, finding the right ticket and supporting passengers with accessibility needs.

“We understand that some customers have complex needs and some are less comfortable using digital technology. That’s why we will be consulting widely with relevant groups and looking at ways of supporting all our customers to ensure that no-one is left behind.”

Avanti West Coast said as ticket office windows close, staff would be able to transition to multi-skilled customer ambassador roles where they would be available to give advice about the best and cheapest fares as well as supporting customers with accessibility needs.

Managing Director of Avanti West Coast, Andy Mellors, said: “It is important for the rail industry to change the way it retails tickets as customer behaviour has evolved over the last three decades.

“Our proposals would mean more staff on hand to give face-to-face help with a much wider range of needs, from journey planning, to finding the right ticket and helping those with accessibility needs."

The plan sparked fury from trade unions and disability groups, with concerns also raised by public transport organisations.

Mark Guest, chief executive of Age UK Wolverhampton, said: "It has got the potential to adversely effect older people far more than other groups.

"Older people do struggle a lot with services becoming primarily digital and do need someone who can help them through new services.

"Being mobile and having a social life keeps them active. What we don't want is these plans having an impact on their health."

Richard Parker, Labour's candidate for West Midlands Mayor, called the plans "another failure for public transport service users" and called for West Midlands Mayor Andy Street to object to the proposals.

He said: "Concerns about these proposals have been around for some time. Andy Street needs to come out strongly against this, and quickly.

"The Conservatives have refused to say how many stations have alternatives to ticket offices, what the impact will be on jobs, or how it will hit vulnerable rail users in the West Midlands.

"Andy Street needs to give passengers the answers they deserve. This is just another failure for public transport service users. We're supposed to be driving forwards a positive growth agenda for the West Midlands but we're raising bus fares, cutting services, shortening routes and delaying projects."

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) has also spoken out against the plans, calling it a "savage attack on railway workers, their families and the travelling public".

General Secretary Mick Lynch said: "Travellers will be forced to rely on apps and remote mobile teams to be available to assist them rather than having trained staff on stations.

"This is catastrophic for elderly, disabled and vulnerable passengers trying to access the rail network."

The union said the move will also lead to job losses.

Mr Lynch added: "It is clear that the whole enterprise of closing ticket offices has got nothing to do with modernisation and is a thinly veiled plan to gut our railways of station staff."

People can have their say on the plans to close ticket offices in the region by emailing TicketOffice.Avanti@transportfocus.org.uk, TicketOffice.WMT@transportfocus.org.uk or write to Freepost: RTEH-XAGE-BYKZ, Transport Focus, PO Box 5594, Southend on Sea, SS1 9PZ, by July 26.