Business as usual at Oban’s ScotRail ticket office
Ticket office opening hours at ScotRail stations in and around Oban have escaped proposed changes.
The train provider says the changes are all part of a review of its customer-facing functions following the impact of the pandemic. A public consultation is now under way.
Although some passenger habits will return to normal after Covid, others will never be the same, says ScotRail. Under the review, no staff will lose jobs and neither will there be changes to the number or frequency of rail services that call at any stations. ScotRail says the transformation will improve passengers’ travelling experience and the changes are intended to see less fare fraud and ticketless travel, generate and protect more revenue, reduce antisocial behaviour and to introduce new family friendly working hours and part-time shifts which have not been prevalent in the past.
CO emissions would decrease by around 102 tonnes each year from less heating and lighting. Before the pandemic, customers were increasingly using online options or ticket vending machines, rather than ticket offices. There has been a 50 per cent drop in the use of ticket offices over the past 10 years, with the pandemic quickening that pace of change.
Last week, independent watchdog for transport users Transport Focus began conducting a public consultation on behalf of ScotRail.
To see proposed changes go to https://www. scotrail.co.uk/scotrail-ticket-office-consultation. Anyone with specific mobility or access needs will continue to be supported.