The consultation on whether or not Honiton, Axminster and Feniton should lose its rail ticket office has been extended to September 1.

GWR says that the consultation comes after sales from ticket office booths drop below 15 per-cent. The consultations are happening as part of an industry-wide set of proposals for all train companies across the UK.

A spokesman for GWR said: "We are consulting on proposals to move ticket office staff into other areas of the station where they can help more customers.

"This would mean ticket office staff would work on station platforms and concourses where they can be closer to customers. Subject to consultation, ticket offices could be phased out over a number of years.

"Ticket office staff would be freed up to work in other areas of the station where they are closer to customers and better placed to help, in line with models already in place at some Great Western Railway stations such as Newbury or Reading Green Park.

"Our Passenger Assist programme – which helps disabled and mobility-impaired customers navigate stations and board trains – will not be affected by the changes. The proposals are designed to increase staff trained and available to help customers at stations across the network, including those with additional accessibility needs.

"Subject to consultation, the ticket office staff would transition to multi-skilled roles – similar to those already in place at GWR since 2007. This would allow staff to help more customers with a wider range of issues, including helping them to buy tickets, wherever they are on the station. This will, however, mean changes to how our station teams are organised, and some ticket offices will close as the new roles are introduced.

"GWR is consulting with the public on an individual station-by-station basis. This includes publication of Equality Impact Assessments for each proposal and is independently run by industry watchdogs Transport Focus and London TravelWatch."

If you would like to comment on these proposals contact Transport Focus, the independent transport user watchdog, or – for stations in London – London TravelWatch, by Wednesday 26 July 2023.

For plans on the consultation, visit here https://www.transportfocus.org.uk/ticketoffices for more information on the plans Consultation on changes to ticket offices | Great Western Railway (gwr.com)