Cumberland Council is formally responding to the public consultation initiated by the Rail Delivery Group.

This regards the proposed closure of ticket offices and changes to staff roles at various train stations.

At its Full Council meeting today Tuesday, July 25, Members expressed their deep concern over the proposed changes and highlighted the potential negative impacts on passengers, particularly vulnerable groups and those with accessibility needs.

The consultation, which was launched on, July 5, allowed a very limited timeframe of just three weeks for responses, raising concerns about the sufficiency of the consultation process to gather comprehensive feedback from stakeholders.

The proposed changes are expected to affect several stations within the Cumberland area, including Northern stations in Workington and Whitehaven, as well as the Avanti West Coast station in Carlisle.

Cumberland Council's response is based on local evidence and is in alignment with the supporting responses submitted by the Local Enterprise Partnership transport and infrastructure group and Transport for the North.

Transport for the North emphasised the need for holistic reform, considering the needs of all station users and local communities.

Councillor Denise Rollo, Cumberland Council’s executive member for Sustainable, Resilient and Connected Places, said: “Cumberland Council firmly believes that these proposals would have harmful impacts on residents and would disproportionately affect elderly and disabled passengers.

"We are calling for clarity on job security and resources in the face of potential job losses due to the proposed changes.

“We are urging Transport Focus and the Rail Delivery Group to reconsider these proposals, taking into account the concerns and needs of the local communities. We stand firm in our commitment to ensuring safe, accessible, and inclusive public transport services for all residents of Cumberland.”

Cumberland Council says they acknowledge that all stations will still have at least one ticket machine, but the ability to offer different tickets may not be clear to infrequent or regular users, potentially leading to issues with value for money and ticket purchasing options.

The council is also concerned about the lack of Equality Impact Assessments for Northern and requests clarity on how vulnerable passengers will receive access support outside the planned station opening times.