11:05am Friday 19th March 2010
PROPOSALS to slash ticket office opening hours at tube stations in the district have prompted passenger security fears.
Tube station ticket booths in the Epping Forest district will reduce their opening hours by some 57 hours a week under Transport for London's proposed cuts.
Stations which would be affected by the cost-saving cut backs include Buckhurst Hill, Debden, Loughton and Epping.
But plans to reduce ticket office opening times have increased commuter fears over unstaffed stations.
Guardian reporter Alex Barham visited Epping tube station this morning to speak to commuters about the proposed changes.
Here is what a few people had to say: Lorraine Collier, of St Johns Road, Epping, said: "Its just another cut back. It's further penny pinching by the Mayor of London. It's a false economy. They have cut back on the amount of staff at tube stations and now they are going to cut back further.
"Machines are not the same as someone on standby. What if someone's taken ill? If there's no staff, it's ridiculous."
An 82-year-old commuter, who did not want to be named but lives in Epping, said: "I have an Oyster card, but if you want to ask any queries there will be nobody there to ask. "I much prefer people you feel much safer."
Debbie Davis, who travels everyday from Buckhurst Hill to work in Epping, said: "It will make a big difference to a lot of people, me being one of them. "It's not good for people who aren't sure where they are going. If you get somebody that doesn't know where they are going there's no one to ask.
"I'd rather see people than machines. The Oyster card machine is easy to use, but sometimes it's nice for someone to say 'can I help you'?
"It's nice to see a face - a human rather than a machine."
On the Central Line, Buckhurst Hill will now open from 7.45am until 9.15am instead of 6.30am until midday on weekdays, and it will reduce its opening times by seven hours on a Saturday, opening for just one hour between midday and 1pm.
Debden ticket offices will be manned for just two hours during rush hour, between 6.45 and 8.45am, on weekdays. Its current opening times are between 6.30am and midday, and again between 3 and 7pm. On Saturdays the ticket office will be open from 11.15am until midday.
Ticket booth opening hours in Epping will be marginally reduced. However, ticket offices, which are currently open, between 6am and 7.30pm, will close, between 12.30 and 4.15pm, under the proposed changes.
Meanwhile, Loughton ticket offices will be in use between 6.45 and 11.15am, instead of 6.30am until 7.30pm on weekdays, and will shut at 3pm instead of 7.30pm on Saturdays.
There will be no changes to the opening times of the Tube stations.
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