A CONSULTATION into the proposed closure of most London Overground ticket offices has led to such a ‘significant’ response that a decision has been delayed by watchdog London TravelWatch.
The news has been welcomed by the RMT, which is opposed to the proposed closures at 51 stations managed by London Overground contractor Arriva Rail London.
A LTW board meeting on 23 October was told: ‘The volume of correspondence received is significant in scale and therefore a full analysis has not been possible in the timescales for this meeting. Officers have therefore requested an extension of the formal consultation process …’
The feedback had consisted of 3,400 responses to an online questionnaire, 959 emails, 2,063 postcards and 31 written submissions, as well as a number of petitions. The extent of the response means that officials need more time to complete their assessment of the responses to the consultation, which also involves discussions with Arriva Rail London and the Department for Transport.
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: ’RMT welcomes the fact that London TravelWatch have been forced to recognise the strength of feeling on this matter. This is by no means the end of the matter but shows that the campaign is winning and we will now be stepping up the pressure to secure a total reversal of the closure plans.
‘In the light of today’s events I call on the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to recognise the strength of feeling over the issue and oppose this retrograde plan for wholesale closures in the strongest possible terms. Ticket offices play a crucial role.’