The Leader of Northumberland County Council has welcomed the news today that the county’s rail ticket offices will remain open.  
 
Rail companies had wanted to shut almost all of England's 1,007 train station outlets but the plans prompted uproar from unions, charities and passenger groups. 
 
Under the original proposals brought forward in July, ticket offices in Alnmouth, Berwick, Hexham, and Morpeth would all have been lost 
 
Today (Tuesday 31) Transport Secretary Mark Harper confirmed he had asked train operators to withdraw their proposals following a public consultation, saying they failed to reach the "high threshold of serving passengers". 
 
Leader of Northumberland County Council Glen Sanderson said: 
 
“I am so pleased that sense has prevailed and that the views of the public and campaigners have been listened to. 
 
“Our rural rail networks are extremely busy, and the ticket offices play a vital role in making rail travel accessible to all, especially those people who cannot access online ticketing or use automated machines.    
 
“Not everyone has a credit card. Not everyone has a computer. The proposals to close the ticket offices would have particularly affected the ability for those on low incomes and the elderly and the vulnerable to travel by rail. 
 
Council Leader Glen Sanderson added: “In Northumberland, we are working hard and investing heavily to re-open the Northumberland Line rail service to passengers in the south east of the county. If change is to be introduced, it should be for the better and not to the detriment of the service “ 
 

When the original plans were brought forward back in July Cllr Sanderson wrote to LNER expressing his concerns. He asked for a number of assurances around staffing, accessibility, effectiveness and communication should the proposals go ahead at the county’s stations in Berwick, Alnmouth, Hexham and Morpeth.