Train station petition gathers momentum

Over 1,600 people sign petition to keep closure-threatened railway station ticket offices open

A CAMPAIGN to keep closure-threatened railway ticket offices in West Berkshire open is still chugging along.

The West Berkshire Labour party has announced this week it has collected over 1,600 signatures in two weeks travelling around four local stations, Thatcham, Tilehurst, Theale and Pangbourne.

The stations, among the 675 around the country classed as category E, are set to be axed through proposals drawn up in Sir Roy McNutly's report on how the railways will have to modify to cut costs, due before Secretary of State for Transport in November.

Campaign organiser Richard Garvie, the Labour Party spokesman for West Berkshire, said the support from commuters was proof that the proposals were not wanted and that there was genuine concern about the safety of using a railway station that was not staffed.

He said that a man who works in the ticket office did a lot more than selling tickets. “He clears the platforms of ice and snow, he grits the car park in the morning and he also provides information on trains when the screens are broken time and time again.

“Some passengers who use the very early trains say that the presence of staff give them a feeling of safety, too."

Mr Garvie said the proposals were poorly thought-out, and said that although Thatcham was a class E station, it took almost the same amount of revenue as Newbury.

"Thatcham station makes First Great Western more than £1m per year, which is pretty much the same as Newbury. Because Thatcham has always been perceived to be a smaller station, revenue is not taken into account in this decision or when categorising stations and the same can be said at Theale and Tilehurst.

“The Government need to discard the McNulty report and look again at the value these staff provide, and what impact their removal with have on passengers."

The party recently claimed it had been the victims of a political hijacking when it visited Thatcham station to collect signature a fortnight ago when members of a member of the West Berkshire Liberal Democrats, Keith Woodhams (Thatcham West) was also present signing people up for a separate petition.

Accusations of jumping on the political bangwagon were later dismissed by the leader of party Jeff Brooks (Lib Dem, Thatcham West).

Labour said it intends to re-visit Theale station in the coming weeks.