Around 200 residents turned out to protest against plans to install ticket barriers at Sheffield train station.
The protest took place in Barkers Pool at around 3:45pm and moved down through the station. It was led by the Campaign group Residents Against Station closure and gave the people of Sheffield a chance to come forward and have their say on the plans to install barriers.
The station provides residents a safe and well lit route from the city centre to the Park Hill and Norfolk Park areas. The barriers would block access to this route which is used by Sheffielders daily.
East Midlands Trains want to install the barriers in order to make sure all passengers are carrying tickets; they say that the barriers would prevent people fare dodging.
Councillor Paul Scriven, continued: “Although we support the principle of checking tickets, we are totally opposed to gating at the station. Already over 2,000 people have expressed their views via an online feedback form on the Council’s website. An amazing 95% of people have told us that they are against installing barriers. Surely East Midland Trains has to sit up and listen to that?”
The installment plans would mean that Sheffield station would follow the same procedures as other stations such as Leeds, which also uses barriers as a form of tracking tickets.
Local resident, Catherine Walsh (45) from Walkley said: “I feel strongly about this issue. Sheffield have put a lot of money into transport and East Midlands Trains can’t give the exact figures of how much money they’re losing when they say that people are not paying their fares deliberately, which is why the barriers are being put in place. I think the real reason for this is that there are not enough people at the kiosks in the train station or on the trains checking tickets.”
If the barriers were to be put in place, residents would be forced to use an alternative route which is regarded as unsafe and dangerous.
Catherine Walsh added: “I am disabled and so is my partner, and disabled people do have issues when it comes to using the station such as difficulty reading boards. We both use public transport a lot and these barriers on the footbridge will affect us and the rest of the public using the station.”
Sheffield Council has been receiving feedback from residents and station users since last August. All feedback received via the Council’s website has been forwarded to East Midland Trains to feed into its consultation.
Councillor Scriven said: “It is vital that everyone’s views are represented and that East Midlands Trains listens to Sheffield residents. There is still time to have your say. We have set up a feedback form that you can access via the home page of the Council’s website. Just go online, fill in your details and we will ensure that everyone’s comments are heard.”
Anyone who wishes to have their say on the issue of gating the Sheffield Station footbridge should fill out the online form at http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/, all information will be forwarded to East Midlands Trains. Rail users and residents can contact East Midlands Trains direct by emailing getintouch@eastmidlandstrains.co.uk
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