The National Federation of the Blind of the UK (NFBUK) are extremely worried about the Governments proposed changes to the staffing at railway stations and on train services across the UK as explained by Sarah Leadbetter our National Campaigns Officer on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.

The proposed changes include all ticket offices to be closed down, reducing staff and removing guards (could also be known as train managers or conductors) from trains. We urgently request your support to help to stop these changes happening please. They are totally unacceptable. We need safety, security and accessibility at all train stations and on all trains in the UK. 

The NFBUK also want to ensure improved safety, security and accessibility at all unmanned stations in the UK.  We want all stations to be manned at all times. It is totally unacceptable that blind and visually impaired passengers, along with other disabled and vulnerable train passengers, have no railway staff at the stations to ask for help, to purchase tickets, for advice and to meet their safety, security and accessibility needs.  

The wording of the petition therefore states the following:
 
1: For all ticket offices to remain open and all manned stations to remain manned at all times, with safe level of staffing 
2: For all trains to have guards (also known as train managers or conductors) at all times 
3: For all unmanned stations to become manned at all times with safe level of staffing

The NFBUK are passionate about independent accessibility for all. It is essential that train users have someone to speak to at stations, to be able to purchase a ticket manually from the ticket office, to have the peace of mind that there will always be somebody present at all stations to ensure safe access on and off a train and for all people that need it, for a ramp to be deployed quickly and efficiently. Not everyone has access to the internet and not everybody has access to a smart phone.  It is essential therefore that the option to purchase a ticket at a train station from a human from a ticket office is protected at all manned stations and for all unmanned stations to be staffed to ensure access for everyone who wants to travel independently.  

It is essential all trains have guards on them for safety, security and accessibility. Removing staff from manned stations and removing guards from trains will make train journeys unsafe and very stressful for blind, visually impaired, disabled and vulnerable train passengers.  The proposed changes will create significant barriers for blind, visually impaired, disabled and vulnerable train passengers from being able to travel independently. They will not be able to travel and will be barred from using a relatively green and efficient form of transport due to the proposed changes. Leading to greater isolation in the disabled community and the inability to travel by train. This cannot be allowed to happen. 
 
It is also imperative the policy to have unmanned train stations in the UK is u-turned. It is essential that disabled and vulnerable passengers are ensured safety, security and accessibility at all stations with properly trained railway staff to ensure safe access on and off all trains and on railway property. Disabled people should be able to travel at any time and not have the stress of worrying about what will happen at the start and end of their journeys or when they have to transfer to another train.

We aim to hand the petition into Number 10 after the new Prime Minister takes office.   

The NFBUK are also gaining support from charities, groups and organisations for the petition. If any group wants to support it, all they need to do is to email a Yes, with the name of the group to Sarah Gayton, our Street Access Campaign Coordinator sarahgayton@yahoo.co.uk or to admin@nfbuk.org. 

We would like to thank you for your interest and I hope that you can support this petition. 

Kindest regards 

Sarah Leadbetter, National Campaigns Officer, NFBUK & 

Andrew Hodgson, President, NFBUK

Contact:
Sarah Gayton, Street Access Campaign Coordinator, NFBUK
Phone 07903 155858 Any day
Phone 01827 714673 Not on Tuesday 
Email sarahgayton@yahoo.co.uk or admin@nfbuk.org
National Federation of the Blind of the UK https://www.nfbuk.org.          Reg. Charity No. 236629 (England & Wales) SC 040134 (Scotland)
Sir John Wilson House, 215 Kirkgate, WAKEFIELD, West Yorkshire, WF1 1JG Contact 01924 291 313 

The photo is of Sarah Leadbetter, National Campaigns Officer, NFBUK crouching down next to her Guide Dog Nellie on a platform at a train station. Holding a banner which states the following 'Please do not shut ticket offices down'.