The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has told an Oldham MP that it shares her concerns on the impact of proposed plans to close rail ticket offices.
The plans would see Oldham’s only railway ticket office, located in Greenfield station, closed.
Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Debbie Abrahams wrote to the watchdog earlier this month to raise concerns that there had been no equality impact assessment prior to the launch of the consultation on the proposed decision to close ticket offices at railway stations.
In a letter dated Tuesday, July 25, the EHRC replied to Ms Abrahams to confirm that they “share [her] concerns” about the impact of proposed ticket office closures on disabled and older people.
In response, the EHRC chief executive, Marcial Boo, wrote to Ms Abrahams and confirmed that the organisation met with officials at the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Office of Rail and Road to “remind them of their responsibilities to consider equality issues, particularly in respect of disabled people”.
The body also said that the DfT confirmed it had conducted an Equality Impact Assessment. The EHRC says it has now requested a copy of the assessment.
Ms Abrahams’ original letter says that she is “extremely worried about the impact that these plans will have on both older and disabled constituents, and the tens of thousands across the country” because “the face-to-face support that staff at ticket offices offer is paramount for both disabled and older people to use our train system. For many, the offices also function as a place to seek assistance”.
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She highlighted the issues of moving towards as greater technology at stations because of the ‘digital exclusion’ that both disabled and older people face.
It’s been a turbulent year for Greenfield station.
In April, The Oldham Times revealed that one service at Greenfield station had seen more than 9 in 10 of its trains cancelled.
Following months of cancellations and issues, operator TransPennine Express was brought under public control.
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Ms Abrahams has been campaigning for many years to improve accessibility at Greenfield station, with passengers travelling towards Huddersfield and Leeds, on platform two, still having no step-free access due to the station’s footbridge.
Those who need step-free access travelling from Manchester to Greenfield currently have to go via Marsden, where they can get off and travel back to Greenfield’s platform one on a Manchester-bound train, adding time to their journey.
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