The Government has performed a U-turn on its decision to close Parbold ticket office following pressure from a grassroots led campaign to keep our ticket offices open.

Earlier this year, the Government opened a consultation on plans to close almost all of the 1,007 ticket offices at stations across the country, including at Parbold ticket office in West Lancashire.

Under the proposed closures, West Lancashire was set to lose the ticket office at Parbold station, with passengers expected to seek out staff at the station in two-hour windows each weekday should they require assistance.

West Lancashire MP Ashley Dalton has welcomed the news, “I am delighted that our ticket office in Parbold will remain open. Ticket offices provide crucial support for passengers, especially in the winter months and for those elderly or disabled passengers.”

“This U-turn is embarrassing for the Government. Rishi Sunak and his cabinet are completely out of touch with the lives of working people who want to see more investment in our local transport links, not cuts to services.”

Ms Dalton had encouraged local people to participate in the consultation to close ticket offices around the country after the Government was forced to extend the consultation period following pressure from rail users.

In encouraging local people to submit representations to the consultation, Ms Dalton described the plans as “completely unacceptable”, highlighting the “significant impact on passenger safety as well as accessibility of train travel for some elderly passengers and passengers with disabilities.”