Anger at rail ticket office cuts

PROTESTS against plans to reduce ticket office opening hours at King's Cross and other stations grew today.

Critics say the move will lead to stations being unstaffed for longer periods, forcing passengers to buy more expensive tickets from machines and raising concerns about passengers' safety.

Queues at King's Cross ticket office are the worst in Britain, according to Passenger Focus, the national rail watchdog.

National Express, which operates the East Coast Main Line, plans to reduce opening times at 14 main stations by 100 hours a week.

Val Shawcross of the GLA's transport committee said: "It makes my blood boil that these private companies are showing such disregard for customer services - and ignoring public concerns about safety."