Relocation of ticket office at Edinburgh's Waverley station 'makes no sense' says rail union
Relocating the ticket office at Edinburgh's Waverley station to a "less convenient" spot makes "no sense", a rail union has said.
The ticket office - or "travel centre" - at the Capital’s main railway station has been moved from its familiar place in the historic booking hall next to the main concourse to a more remote location near platforms 4 and 5, in the former customer information office.
The space it previously occupied is to be divided and converted into a family lounge, "passenger assist" lounge and more retail space.
The move comes after ScotRail reduced ticket office opening hours at many of its stations at the end of March.
Gordon Martin, Scottish organiser for the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, said: “This is yet another move that makes no sense to either passengers or staff at Edinburgh Waverley.
"The travel shop’s central location was convenient for customers and safe for workers. Shifting it away from the station’s main hub, and expecting staff to sell tickets on the concourse or relying on machines, is not a safe or reliable substitute for a properly staffed, centrally located booking office.”
On social media, where a picture was posted showing the interior of the new ticket office, one member of the public described it as "beautiful but less convenient". Another said it was "so out of the way".
A passenger contacted the Evening News to voice fears that travellers would now be encouraged to use machines and the ticket office would eventually be reduced to a "skeleton staff".
And Lothian Labour MSP Sarah Boyack said: "It’s vital that accessibility for passengers, whether buying tickets or being able to ask about rail services, is retained. So we need a clear reassurance that passengers' journeys are not being made more difficult and that essential services are not being eroded.
"While it’s great to be able to access digital tickets to travel on trains, that doesn’t work for everyone and in-person support will always be needed."
LNER, which runs the ticket office at Waverley, insisted no jobs were being lost as a result of the relocation.
Jennifer Mearns, Regional Station Manager for LNER, said: “We have moved the travel centre to a space on platform 5 so that we can create fresh, new areas for customers.
“By September, we will have a new family lounge and passenger assist lounge located in the heart of the station.
“The new travel centre showcases some of the station’s original historic features and is a much brighter and more inviting area for customers to use.”
Chris King, Network Rail station manager at Waverley, said: "We’re committed to enhancing the passenger experience at Edinburgh Waverley by delivering improved services and amenities for everyone passing through the station.
"We’re working closely with LNER as the travel centre is moved to a new location. This will provide a refreshed and modernised space for passengers and also creates an exciting opportunity to expand our retail offering in the former travel centre area.
"We appreciate passengers’ patience during this transition and look forward to sharing further developments as they take shape."