Cries from 'the wilderness' save ticket offices

12:44pm Friday 4th July 2008

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The Mayor of London has "listened to the voice of the suburbs" and scrapped plans to close the ticket offices at three Tube stations in the borough.

The decision by Boris Johnson not to shut the booths at West Finchley, Totteridge & Whetstone and Mill Hill East has been welcomed by Barnet Council, which claims commuters would have suffered if the service had been removed.

Councillor Andrew Harper, cabinet member for environment and transport, said: "The vast majority of residents who took part in the Transport for London (TfL) consultation actually said they wanted the stations to remain manned.

"It's important because of security reasons and important to have the support at the stations, and it signals longer term commitment to keeping these stations open."

TfL announced plans under former Mayor Ken Livingstone last June to close the ticket offices at 40 of the least busy Underground stations across the capital.

The scheme would have meant 240 staff being redeployed to the busiest stations following a fall in the demand for paper tickets due to the introduction of Oyster cards, TfL said.

But a mayor's spokesman said: "Ticket offices are of great value to residents and the Mayor has confirmed the 40 offices that were under review will remain open."

Mr Harper added: "It shows a victory for common sense and for the many Barnet residents who clambered for that particular recommendation to be rescinded.

"I'm very glad Mayor Johnson has seen sense and has listened to the voice of the suburbs, which for a long time was more of a cry in the wilderness, but is now being heard."

Greater London Authority Assembly member for Barnet and Camden, Brain Coleman, said: "I welcome this decision and I am pleased Boris Johnson is reversing the decision that was resolutely defended and supported by the previous mayor."

The move was also welcomed by union groups, who had argued staff at ticket offices increased security within the stations.

Gerry Doherty, leader of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association, said: "It would have been unfair to the millions of people who use the Tube to go ahead with these closures.

"They would have been subjected to long queues at ticket machines and the stations themselves would have been less safe, particularly late in the evenings."