Northfields and South Ealing Ticket Offices Under Threat

MPs urge London Underground to rethink plans

The Ealing Southall MP, Virendra Sharma, is one of eight Labour MPs urging London Underground to rethink plans to reduce opening times of ticket offices - including Northfields and South Ealing.

In March London Underground announced that up to 800 jobs - including 100 managers, 450 ticket office posts and 200 other jobs - will be axed under plans to make savings of £16m a year.

The London MPs including Virendra Sharma, have tabled a series of early day motions in the Commons.

They said: "Transport for London's proposals to shed up to 800 ticket office and gate line jobs on London Underground will adversely affect the opening times of ticket offices."

The MPs claim Customer service will also be hit with passengers "forced to queue for longer to buy their tickets".

They highlighted ticket offices in 14 stations in north and west London - Northfields and South Ealing, Kilburn Park, Kensal Green, Queen's Park, Finchley Road, Swiss Cottage, West Hampstead, Belsize Park, Hampstead, Tufnell Park, Archway, Arsenal, Finsbury Park.

A TfL spokeswoman said: "We have assured staff and customers that all of our stations will continue to be staffed at all times while trains are operating, and that all stations with a ticket office will continue to have one.

"The changes we're proposing to ticket office opening hours are in line with customer demand."

June 17th, 2010