PLANS to cut staffing hours at ScotRail ticket offices will make it far harder for disabled passengers to travel, the Scottish Greens say.
ScotRail announced plans at the end of October to reduce the hours at 54 ticket offices, saying data showed the vast majority of travellers now buy tickets online.
The rail operator said no jobs will be lost and no ticket offices will close as a result of the change, which will be implemented in the new year.
Unions have strongly opposed the plans and the RMT has said there could be strike action “if needs be”.
Scottish Greens transport spokesperson Mark Ruskell (below) said ScotRail and the Scottish Government should reverse the decision.
He said: “These cuts would have a devastating effect on Scotland’s railways for workers and passengers.
“In particular, these cuts will harm the many disabled passengers who rely on Scotland’s railways; these station staff are vital for helping them board trains and ensuring that they safely make their journeys.
“The expertise of station staff is crucially important during the cost-of-living crisis, ensuring that they are there to provide help to navigate a complicated system while providing advice on the cheapest tickets and best times to travel by train.”
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “Scottish Rail Holdings and ScotRail have given ministers assurances that full account has been taken from the previous consultation on proposed changes to ticket office hours.
“These proposals do not include any ticket office closures or job losses, and these adjustments will not affect the timetable or stations at which trains stop. ScotRail stations will continue to offer access to facilities – for example, toilets used by the public in most cases will remain open even when ticket office desks are shut.
“Lessons have also been learned from the very poorly considered draconian proposals of the previous UK government, which would’ve seen the closure of all ticket offices in England. In particular, equality impact assessments have been conducted and are reflected in the proposals.”
ScotRail said support is available for disabled people through the passenger assist system and assistance can also be booked at least an hour in advance of any ScotRail journey.
The rail operator also said 12 stations will see their opening hours increase under the plans.
Phil Campbell, ScotRail’s customer operations director, said: “ScotRail is committed to making sure that all rail users have equal access. We enable tens of thousands of assisted travel journeys each year, and many more spur-of-the-moment trips.
“Our ‘accessible travel service’ provides free assistance to people who need a little extra help, whether it has been booked in advance or not.
“We’re committed to building on the success of this service, which includes listening to and acting on feedback from our customers, and we’ll continue to work with our stakeholders at all levels to ensure that everyone can travel on Scotland’s Railway with confidence.”
