Mick Lynch delighted with support at 'hugely successful' Berwick public rally against plans to close ticket office at railway station

The main speaker was RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch, who described the meeting at The Maltings as “hugely successful”.

Organisers had originally booked a small room at the venue, but when free tickets were snapped up within a matter of hours, the decision was taken to move to the main theatre.

The proposals that would see ticket offices close were announced earlier this month and the consultation ends soon. LNER announced that Berwick is one of its stations where it plans to ‘repurpose travel centres, with colleagues supporting customers on the stations and proposals to create a modern station retailing experience’.

There were also contributions from local councillor Georgina Hill, RMT National Women’s Advisory chair Jessica Robinson, Disabled Passengers Against The Cuts activist Sarah Roelfs, retired railway worker John Kay, Labour MP for Wansbeck Ian Lavery and independent candidate for Mayor of the North East Jamie Driscoll.

Mr Lynch said: “Our union is taking our campaign to save ticket offices out into every town, city and village in this country.

“Events like our hugely successful Berwick public meeting highlight just how much support we have in our campaign and the value station staff have in the minds of passengers – particularly the elderly, vulnerable and disabled.

“Ticket office closures are a fig-leaf for the wholescale de-staffing of stations, including safety critical train dispatch, passenger assistance and other non-ticket office customer service workers.

“Ticket office closures under Schedule 17 means there will be no regulations on staffing levels at stations whatsoever.

“Train operators will then be free to staff or de-staff any station to whatever level they choose.

“Our union and the travelling public do not want a de-humanised railway that will be rife with crime and anti-social behaviour, inaccessible to the most vulnerable.”

The LNER document also says: ‘Our new team of multi-skilled station staff will be available across the station to sell tickets or assist with the use of ticket vending machines, if required.’

RMT Berwick Rail branch secretary Martin McCleary said: “It was heartening to see so many people at the rally. Mick was delighted at the response from the Berwick public.

“The buzz in the town before and after the event was electric, with people requesting boxes of postcards to ensure that friends and families responded to the consultation.

“Thanks to The Maltings for facilitating us in the main theatre and to all the volunteers on the night – the speakers were all excellent and we had some magnificent contributions from the floor.”

Coun Hill said: “It was excellent to see so many people attend this rally and to hear the passion and articulation of the outrage residents feel at the plans to close Berwick ticket office and across the country.

“This meeting will really help mobilise residents to object and fight to keep our ticket office open – also the obvious future plan, of the Government and railway companies, to continue to cut staffing levels at stations.”

Staffing numbers are not mentioned in the LNER document.