Councillors are to hold an emergency meeting next week to condemn the planned cuts to Clydebank and Dalmuir rail station ticket offices.
As the Post reported last week, the Clydebank station’s facility office has been earmarked for closure, and other stations – including Dalmuir – will see their opening hours dramatically cut under ScotRail’s proposals.
With just days before the end of the formal consultation on the cuts, a full West Dunbartonshire Council meeting has been agreed for January 31 at 1pm after a call by Labour councillors.
But a petition to save Clydebank rail station’s ticket office has garnered only 274 signatures. And petitions will not affect ScotRail’s consultation.
Rail bosses said travel habits have changed since the pandemic and the ticket offices are not needed to the same extent as before.
Consultation
Feedback can only be sent to Transport Focus Freepost (RTEH-XAGE-BYKZ), PO Box 5594, Southend on Sea, SS1 9PZ or by email to schedule17.sr@transportfocus.org.uk.
Save Our Station: Campaign sign on Clydebank rail station's ticket office
All Labour councillors on West Dunbartonshire Council signed the request for the meeting, stating: “This council is concerned with ScotRail’s consultation which proposes reductions to train station ticket office and opening hours at the following train stations: Clydebank, Singer, Dalmuir, Alexandria, Balloch, Dumbarton Central and Dalreoch.
“Council encourages members of the public to complete the consultation opposing these cuts.
“Council notes that a petition has been created by local campaigners against these cuts and members of the public are encouraged to support the petition to protect the services.
“Therefore, council agrees that the chief executive should make formal representation to ScotRail’s chief executive and the Scottish Government’s minister for transport reaffirming West Dunbartonshire Council’s opposition to the ticket office opening hours reductions in West Dunbartonshire.”
The petition to save Clydebank’s facility, at change.org, highlights ScotRail’s own promotion of staff at Dalmuir who helped a vulnerable individual on an evening in December, during hours when there would now be no workers available.
The petition states: “Just last week Scotrail staff at Dalmuir train station were praised for their efforts in helping with a vulnerable passenger, with the station manager saying of the staff, ‘Their actions no doubt saved this person’s life and I’m extremely proud of them’.
“Clydebank’s passengers deserve train stations which they can feel safe in. At a time when governments are rightly encouraging the use of public transport for the good of the planet, Clydebank’s passengers are being told to put up with higher prices for more dangerous stations.
“We should resist these moves and stand up for safe, high quality public transport for the people of Clydebank.”
The consultation closes on February 2.
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