Campaigners fighting plans to close the ticket offices at Redruth and Camborne Train Stations have celebrated the U-turn. 

The government has asked train operators to withdraw their proposals because they failed to meet “high passenger standards.” 

The move follows a huge public backlash to the cost-cutting proposals, which attracted 750,000 responses in a public consultation, 99 per cent of which were objections, according to the passenger watchdogs managing the survey. 

Many argued the proposals by train operators managing the station offices to close ticket offices would be discriminatory to the elderly and the disabled. 

Train companies under pressure from the government to cut costs had argued staff would be better used helping passengers in person, in other areas of the station adding that only 12 per cent of tickets were now bought at station kiosks. 

Ticket offices were proposed to close between October this year and June 2024 at Bodmin Parkway, Camborne, Liskeard, Par, Redruth and St Austell and St Erth, with Penzance and Truro to follow between September and December 2024, although ticket sales will be reduced at windows at those stations from this October. The rest of Cornwall’s stations no longer have ticket offices. 

Paul White Cornwall councillor for Camborne Trelowarren said: “It was so fabulous to hear the news that the government has listened to us local people and have scrapped plans to close railway station ticket offices following a public consultation. 

“To have closed this service would have been a severe obstacle to certain passenger groups especially the elderly, the disabled and other vulnerable passengers. 

“After spending many hours at Camborne railway station during the summer and speaking to a large number of paying travellers who used the ticket office not only for paying but had general enquiries regarding their journeys, book seat reservations, routes, possible changes, pricing and renew railcards. 

“There were hundreds of people not only at the station but throughout Camborne who knew nothing about the governments plan to close the ticket offices or any public consultation in place until my campaigning and fighting for us locals. 

“Next time you use the train please use the ticket office instead of using the modern day technology so we keep this vital service. 

“Huge thank you to everyone who backed the campaign and took part in the public survey to save the ticket offices.” 

Camborne and Redruth Labour candidate Perran Moon added: “Our campaign to reverse this decision has worked and I want to thank all those who helped collect petition signatures and responses to the consultation. 

“Government is blaming rail operators for this fiasco and the operators say the government asked them to do it. Once again, it shows the utter incompetence, wasting time and money on chaotic ideas, while our railways are crying out for investment to create a rail network fit for the future.”