SCOTRAIL bosses have announced plans to slash the opening hours of ticket offices at several railway stations across Inverclyde.

The train operator says changes are being made in the hope of delivering more visible customer support at stations, reflecting changing travel and ticket purchasing patterns. 

In 2021, the train operator published an assessment – the first of its kind since 1991 - which showed a dramatic increase in the number of tickets bought on the ScotRail website, app, or at ticket machines.

Results showed a significant decrease in customers buying at ticket offices. In the past 10 years alone, there has been a 50 per cent drop in ticket office sales.

Port Glasgow, Greenock Central, Greenock West, Gourock and Wemyss Bay will all see their opening hours cut if the plans, set to affect stations across Scotland, are approved.

ScotRail says there will be no job losses or redundancies as a result of its proposals.

Where ticket offices see reduced hours, according to ScotRail, staff will carry out other customer supporting duties within their existing job description, such as ticket barrier duties and revenue protection.

Customers will benefit from increased staff visibility, helping with ticket selling/inspection and tackling anti-social behaviour as well as receive improved support through platform help points, with advice available on buying tickets.

The train operator says the changes are expected to be implemented in 2025.

At Port Glasgow, the ticket office's hours are proposed to be cut to 6.45am-7pm Monday-Thursday, 8.15am-7.30pm Saturday, and 11.15am to 1.45pm on Sunday.

The current opening hours are 6.15am to midnight Monday-Saturday and 7.45am to midnight on Sunday.

At Greenock Central the proposal is to cut opening hours to 7.30-10.45am Monday-Thursday, 10.15am to 6pm on Friday, 9.30am to 5.15pm on Saturday, and 9.30am to 1.30pm on Sunday.

Greenock Central's current opening hours are 7.20am to 8.34pm Monday-Saturday and 9.20am to 5.30pm on Sunday.

ScotRail plans to cut Greenock West's ticket office hours to 6am-6.15pm Monday-Thursday, 6.15am-7.15pm Friday, 7.45am-6.30pm Saturday, and 9,.45am to 2.15pm Sunday.

At present the Greenock West facility is open from 6am to 12.05am Monday-Saturday and from 7.55am to 12.05am on Sunday.

Meanwhile, at Gourock station, the proposal is for the ticket office to be open from 6.15am-4.30pm Monday-Thursday, 6.30am-7.15pm Friday, 7.45am-6.30pm Saturday, and 9.15am to 2.45pm on Sunday.

Gourock's current hours are 5.40am to 11.40pm Monday-Saturday and 8.10am-11.29pm on Sunday.

The final Inverclyde station set to be affected, Wemyss Bay, would have its ticket office hours reduced to 6.10am-12.45pm Monday-Thursday, 6.10am-1.30pm Friday, 7am to 2.30pm Saturday, and 8.55am to 1.30pm on Sunday.

The current opening hours of the office at Wemyss Bay are 6.10am to 11.20pm Monday-Saturday and 8.55am to 9.30pm on Sunday.

The ticket office at Cartsdyke station is unaffected, with hours remaining at 6.40am to 1.44pm Monday-Saturday and 9.30am to 4.28pm on Saturday.

Phil Campbell, ScotRail's customer operations director, said: “The independent passenger watchdog Transport Focus carried out an extensive consultation on these proposals, which received feedback from thousands of people across Scotland. We have listened to our customers and updated our proposals based on that feedback.

“These changes will provide a service that is better suited for today and the ticket-buying habits of our customers, as well as create an environment that improves safety and customer support."