Ticket offices to open for just three hours a day under new proposals

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has previously announced its plans to cut the opening hours of a number of station ticket offices, including Lewes and Polegate, so they do not open outside of peak hours. It also proposed to permanently close the ticket offices at other stations, such as Falmer.

Today (Tuesday, March 8), Southern Rail revealed details of the proposal, including what the new opening times would be for ticket offices.

Under the new proposals, Lewes and Polegate ticket offices would only open from 7am to 10am Monday to Friday mornings. The ticket office would close completely on weekends.

Lewes ticket office currently opens from 6.30am to 9.45pm weekdays, 6.30am to 8.20pm on Saturdays and 7.30am to 7.15pm on Sundays.

Polegate ticket office currently opens from 6.10am to 7.35pm Monday to Saturdays, and 8.30am to 4.05pm on Sundays.

A Southern spokesperson said: “The stations listed will have a station host on duty for times significantly in excess of the current ticket office hours.

“The host will provide assistance with ticket purchases, information provision and assisted travel at the times shown within the station concourse or gateline areas.

“The host will have a hand-held ticketing system that will enable them to provide tickets that are not available from the self-service machines.

“The ticket offices at these stations will be open in the morning peak hours to ensure that passenger’s needs for tickets are met at these busy times. The primary point for purchasing tickets on the station will be from the self- service machines, from the station host or at morning peak time through the ticket office.

“The station host will also have access to a ticket office machine within the concourse area to enable ticket types, not available through self-service or the hand held machine, to be issued.

“Each of the stations listed will have a member of staff on duty from the first train of the day until the last train has departed, seven days a week.”

It is proposed ‘station hosts’ will work at Lewes and Polegate from 5.30am to 10pm Monday to Saturday, and from 7.30am to 10pm on Sundays.

Click here for more information.

The proposals are currently under consultation.

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