Many of us have in the past had bad experiences at our local train stations. In my case, I recall some years back going to the rescue of a young French tourist at Rectory Road station one Saturday afternoon. The kid was being hit by a couple of thugs, and I intervened. The next thing I saw was a blade in one of the guy’s trouser belt, and the two of them turned on me. Then a train pulled in, and I and my son jumped on, followed by the two yobbos. They got off at Hackney Downs and the incident was reported to the transport police. Saved by the 2.40pm from Enfield. There were no staff on duty at the station. This is one reason why I, Rab MacWilliam, welcome the new coalition, whose press release we reproduce below.

‘A community coalition is launching a campaign to defend Hackney’s train station staff after government proposals to cut ticket office staff were exposed.

The McNulty report recommends that smaller stations across the country lose their ticket office staff. In Hackney, this would mean cuts to all ticket office staff at Hackney Wick, Homerton, Rectory Road, Stamford Hill and Stoke Newington stations. Ticket office staff would be cut at Hackney Central, Dalston Kingsland and Clapton. Community activists believe that without staff, Hackney’s train stations will become dangerous, unwelcome and inaccessible places.

A public meeting has been called for Monday 12 December, at 6.30pm at the Old Fire Station, 61 Leswin Road N16 7NX. It will be addressed by speakers from the TSSA rail union, John Thornton of Hackney Disability Backup, Labour GLA member Jennette Arnold and a Green Party representative. A spokesperson from Abellio, the train operator taking over from National Express in the New Year, has been invited to speak.

A spokesperson for Together for Transport, a founding member of the community coalition, said: ‘Everyone in Hackney who uses the trains and Overground will be dismayed to hear talk of unstaffed train stations. We don’t want to go back to the bad old days of unreliable trains and dangerous train stations. This public meeting will be a chance to show how bad this move would be for Hackney, and plan a community response.’’

More information about the McNulty report and its recommendations on ticket office staff can visit
http://togetherfortransport.org/content/mcnulty-recommends-closing-675-station-ticket-offices-0

Anybody wishing to attend the meeting or find out more information should email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it