YOUR editorial last week highlighted how the Government has extended their consultation on train ticket office closures, perhaps grudgingly recognising that it was a mistake to try and sneak through such flawed proposals. Their attempt to dress up short-sighted cuts as being something the rail operators want has fooled nobody. The biggest issue though is not the process; it is the idea itself. Prolonging this consultation at yet more taxpayer expense does nothing to alter the reality that the Government has lost the argument for proposals which command almost zero public support. Some backbench Conservative MPs to their credit have already distanced themselves. The embarrassed silence of more of their usually vocal Parliamentary and local Councillor colleagues on this key issue speaks volumes.

The original deadline last week was a missed opportunity for a tired government to put an end to the uncertainty generated for staff, passengers and local communities. As community representatives, we have all spent considerable amounts of time at our local stations listening to passengers and staff. We have not met a single person who thinks these changes will improve the passenger experience. It doesn't need yet more time and money wasted to establish the strong opposition from across our communities and from people of all ages, backgrounds and political persuasions.

We would urge readers to keep contributing to the consultation and to support our local station staff. The biggest responsibility now though rests with our elected Conservative MPs. It is time for them to come out clearly and publicly against these plans, and to urge their Ministers to put these destructive proposals out of their misery at the earliest opportunity.

 

Cllr Oliver Edwards and Cllr Eleanor Thomson, Labour, Guiseley and Rawdon (Leeds City Council). Cllr Chris Steele, Labour, Wharfedale (Bradford MDC). Anna Dixon, Labour Parliamentary candidate, Shipley.  Councillor Oliver Edwards Labour and Co-operative Party, Guiseley and Rawdon Ward.