Stop the Cuts to ScotRail ticket offices

Head Office Circular: NP/013/22
19 January 2022

To: The Secretary
ALL REGIONAL COUNCILS
ALL BRANCHES

Dear Colleague

STOP THE CUTS TO SCOTRAIL TICKET OFFICES

Train Operator Abellio ScotRail has recently announced proposals to cut ticket office hours at 117 stations, including the complete closure of three ticket offices. These proposals affect nearly all of ScotRail’s ticket offices and amount to a reduction in ticket office opening hours of around a third (or more than 3200 hours a week) compared to current levels. The full list of affected stations is online - https://www.scotrail.co.uk/scotrail-ticket-office-consultation

Your Union is vehemently opposed to these cuts, which will worsen passenger safety, security and accessibility. Under the proposals there is no guarantee staff will remain present at the stations when the ticket offices would be closed. Once ticket office hours are no longer regulated by Schedule 17, it makes it easier for train companies to reduce staffing in the future.

We need to send a strong message to ScotRail and the Scottish Government, which is already managing the franchise and will be running it in the public sector from 1 April, that we will not sit by and let them run down Scotland’s railway. It is vital that as many people as possible respond to the consultation, being run by watchdog Transport Focus, to register their opposition.

The Union is undertaking public and political campaigning to fight these proposals over the coming weeks, including briefing our Scottish Parliamentary group, MSPs, local councillors and other organisations.

We are asking RMT reps and members to help fight these damaging cuts by doing the following:

Responding to the Transport Focus consultation before 02.02.22 – you can find a model response to submit via the RMT’s website here – https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/members-updates/scotrail-ticket-office-consultation
Signing RMT’s petition and sharing it on social media and with colleagues - https://www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/stop-the-cuts-to-scotrail-ticket-offices


Postcard campaign

The Union will be running a postcard campaign, the purpose of which is to make passengers aware of the proposals and to assist them in responding to the consultation. Passengers can either send the postcards (which qualify as a consultation response) via the Freepost address to Transport Focus (printed on the postcard) or scan the QR code on their devices to send a response via the RMT’s website.

Postcards are being sent to the Glasgow and Aberdeen offices and reps and members in these areas should liaise with the offices to collect postcards. Postcards are also being sent directly to the relevant branch secretaries outside of Glasgow and Aberdeen.

RMT ScotRail reps are asked to carry out days of action at stations in their area to make passengers aware of ScotRail’s proposed cuts. It is suggested that this action should take place on 26th, 27th or 29th January 2022 to ensure that any responses sent via the post reach Transport Focus by 2nd February 2022.

Please email Sophie Ward, National Policy Officer, (s.ward@rmt.org.uk) to advise when and where any action is taking place and details will be publicised online. If you have any further questions, you can also contact Sophie.

Please do all you can to support this important campaign.

Yours sincerely

Michael Lynch
General Secretary