Closure will be bad for all of us

 

The proposed closure of ticket offices at Huntingdon and St Neots railway stations will be bad for all of us, but it will be particularly bad for people with disabilities in general, and wheelchair and mobility scooter users in particular.

With a ticket office, you always know where to find help and advice. That's much harder to do if staff are walking around the station. Without a point of contact, getting help with luggage, ramps, unlocking loos, and just generally using the station is much harder.

Ticket machines don't sell the full range of tickets. Crucially, they don't sell the discounted tickets for passengers who stay in their wheelchairs. The ticket machines are also not fully accessible.

When staff are moving around the station, they don't have access to the computer system with all the data on trains, tickets, and fares. They simply cannot give the same information as from a ticket office.

I fear that closing ticket offices is a step towards unstaffed stations. Those job cuts would make travelling by train harder for everyone.

David Landon Cole,

Chair, Hunts Shopmobility

 

Hunts Post Readers Told Us

I will not travel by train if this happens as prefere to buy tickets from ticket office as will not use the machine. Also staff are needed at the stations to assist disabled people on and off of trains.

Jean Fulker

This will not help those who have disabilities. Have you tried using a ticket machine if you're in a wheelchair or mobility scooter and on your own? What's happening that we can't actually speak to a human being for help and assistance these days!

Celia Barden

Sign this petition if you disagree with the closure of ticket offices.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/636542.

Dan Edgerton

It's a terrible idea,a lot of people like to ask the ticket staff advice for their journey.

Darren Shaw

 

Landfill charge bill from grey bins will increase 

I was the councillor who originally presented, along with Ian Bates, the proposal to introduce the three-bin waste system to the officers at HDC.

One of the big arguments at that time was that dividing the collected material would cut down on landfill.

The green bin collection is not just garden waste but takes kitchen compostable materials as well.

It also takes small off-cuts of wood, sawdust and contents of my paper shredder etc.

I have a very low maintenance garden, no grass, just shrubs that need trimming twice a year, which I could take down to the Marston Road recycling tip.

But still the green bin is the heaviest of my bins when I put it out. If I had to pay for the bin, I would give it up and revert to putting the  kitchen waste, etc in the grey bin which would then be the heaviest where as at present it is the lightest.

If people like me give up their green bins then obviously landfill charges bill from the grey bins will increase with the extra weight and all the vermin in the landfill will  thrive when waste food is again delivered to them daily.

I think the current councillors should go back and read what I campaigned about before the introduction of a free three-bin system.

I can suggest a way of saving about two per cent of the annual collection budget by adopting a three-week cycle over Christmas and the new year and not paying overtime to catch up the lost time with bank holidays.

Bob Barnes  

Former Eynesbury councillor 

 

Annual show for gardening club

St Neots Gardening club is holding its annual show on Saturday, August 12 at the  Jubilee Hall, in Eaton Socon.


Judging of the exhibits takes place earlier in the day then at 2pm the hall is open for everyone to view the exhibits and enjoy light refreshments.


Members and non members are welcome to enter exhibits in the show, entry details from Peter Walker at: peter.walker@stneotsgardenclub.org.uk.


For further information check the club website at: www.stneotsgardenclub.org.uk

Peter Walker

St Neots Gardening Club