We urge VTEC to retain the ticket office and staffing levels in the Travel Centre at York Station; continue providing an excellent customer service and retain the knowledge and expertise of the staff to enable them to assist customers with planning routes. Also the aesthetics of the heritage Grade 2 listed station building should be preserved.
Why is this important?
The Travel Centre at York Station is a centre of excellence with highly professional, knowledgeable, friendly staff but Virgin Trains East Coast, (VTEC), have announced plans to “revamp” York Station including the Travel centre. VTEC want:
New shops and a first class lounge.
An open plan “customer zone” in the Travel Centre with fewer ticket staff and more ticket machines.
Staff will no longer sit behind counters but sell tickets with hand held devices or help customers to use ticket machines.
If staff numbers are cut, queues could grow longer because:
Many passengers dislike using machines and prefer a face to face service.
Some people cannot use a machine and need assistance including those with disabilities e.g.: physical and learning disabilities; visual impairments and mental health problems
People need advice about routes, timetables and fares. Rail services across the UK are fragmented, therefore passengers rely on the knowledge and expertise of the staff. Hand held devices would be inadequate for this.
Some people prefer paying cash over a counter. Not all people use credit or debit cards.
York has a large number of foreign visitors; some struggle to read English.
There are also fears that the introduction of more shops will compromise the aesthetics of the historic, grade-two listed building
