Proposals which would have seen ticket offices at railway stations in Lichfield permanently closed have been scrapped.
Train operators had proposed ditching manned ticket sales in favour of self-service and online options.
It comes after data showed just 12% of tickets were sold at offices in stations compared to 82% in the 1990s.
But following a consultation on the plans, the Transport Secretary said the changes would not happen.
Mark Harper said:
“The consultation on ticket offices has now ended, with the Government making clear to the rail industry throughout the process that any resulting proposals must meet a high threshold of serving passengers.
“We have engaged with accessibility groups throughout this process and listened carefully to passengers as well as my colleagues in Parliament. The proposals that have resulted from this process do not meet the high thresholds set by Ministers, and so the Government has asked train operators to withdraw their proposals.
“We will continue our work to reform our railways with the expansion of contactless Pay As You Go ticketing, making stations more accessible through our Access for All programme and £350 million funding through our Network North plan to improve accessibility at up to 100 stations.”
Transport Secretary Mark Harper
Please be assured that this changeof policy has absolutely nothing do do with the local by-elections and poor election ratings, honestly!
Has the MP welcomed this U turn? It was the Government wot wanted it, not the railway companies.