Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential effect of rail station ticket office closures on people who (a) cannot afford and (b) struggle to use digital technology on those people's ability to travel by rail.

Together with the industry, we want to improve and modernise the passenger experience by moving staff out from ticket offices to provide help and advice to passengers across stations where they need it. The consultation period has now closed, and we expect train operators to work collaboratively with the passenger bodies in the coming weeks, to listen to the concerns raised and to refine their proposals accordingly.

We have been clear that no currently staffed station should be unstaffed as a result of industry changes, and operators should ensure that staff are well located to meet passenger needs in future. This includes ensuring that staff remain available to help passengers use ticket vending machines, or their own devices to purchase tickets and they can assist those who need additional support or do not wish to use digital tickets. Exact staffing arrangements would vary by train operator and station and are subject to ongoing discussions with staff and their trade union representatives.