Speaking at RMT’s rally (Thursday 13 July) in Kings Cross as part of a National Day of Action against ticket office closures, Apsana Begum, MP for Poplar and Limehouse said:
“Taking away the safety and accessibility of public transport from people who rely on it is just unacceptable.
“These proposed closures will make life hard for everyone. They are not in the interests of staff and not in the interests of passengers.
“It is obvious that this will also lead to further destaffing – making many stations increasingly unsafe.
“Yet our transport workers are key to the service overall. They served us during the pandemic heroically at great personal cost.
“And at the same time, instead of taking our rail into public ownership, which is overwhelming supported by the general public, the Tories are choosing to prop up the profits of private rail operator.”