We have five train stations in Welwyn Hatfield: Brookmans Park, Hatfield, Welham Green, Welwyn Garden City and Welwyn North. All five of them are on the list of proposed closures to railway station ticket offices. Please sign our petition to Mark Harper MP, the Secretary of State for Transport, below, to express your dissatisfaction with these closures:

Dear Mark Harper MP,

We are writing to express our opposition over your plans to close five rail station ticket offices in our community. These closures will impact the ability to buy tickets, plan journeys, receive advice and navigate the stations. This news is particularly concerning for many of us who are elderly or disabled, in addition to the many thousands of people employed in our rail industry, many of whom live in Welwyn Hatfield.

Therefore, we oppose the closures of the ticket stations in Brookmans Park, Hatfield, Welham Green, Welwyn Garden City and Welwyn North due to:

• Staff availability
  Stations can be very busy and passengers may often require instant support and advice. If staffing levels were reduced, the human contact that could be crucial will be lost. Remaining staff may be beyond the barriers and/or on the platform, meaning they are unavailable for support unless a ticket has already been purchased.
• Accessibility
  By closing the ticket offices, ticket purchases will have to made either in advance or at Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs). For passengers who are elderly or disabled, this could have a terrible effect on their journeys, particularly if they are visually impaired.
• Safety
  By having staff visible and accessible, it allows passengers to feel safer and more secure. They know there is a point of contact for any concerns, and that any issues can be resolved quickly by those on site.

As such, we encourage you to reconsider this proposal and save our ticket offices.