'Ticket office staff must stay', says GLA member for Enfield and Haringey (From Haringey Independent)

'Ticket office staff must stay', says GLA member for Enfield and Haringey

5:27pm Wednesday 8th September 2010 in

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FEARS that cuts to train and Tube ticket offices will lead to a loss of almost 38 staff members in Haringey and Enfield has prompted the area's London Assembly member to speak out.

Labour member Joanne McCartney has called on Transport for London (TfL) to scrap proposals to cut the hours ticket offices will be open.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson, who heads TfL, said reducing hours at ticket offices was justified as it reflected the falling numbers of tickets being sold following the introduction of the Oyster Card.

She said: "While it is true that fewer tickets will be issued at the windows due to the increase in ticket machines, online sales and the Oyster card, it would be a serious error to believe that this is a reason to cut staff hours.

"You cannot ask travel advice of a ticket machine, and a ticket machine will not make you feel safe about being alone in a station early in the morning or late and night."

"Cutting the number of people working for London Underground will leave passengers with a worse service."

According to Ms McCartney's calculations, the stations will lose 6.5 staff members every day of the week, along with 2.5 on Saturdays and 3 on Sundays amounting to the total of 38.