Hillside Station's Ticket Office Closure Denies Accessibility to Disabled Rail Users

The regular unannounced closures of the ticket office at Hillside station are leaving disabled passengers stranded as if the ticket office closes then so do all the facilities including the lifts, toilets, waiting room and defibrillator. Lib Dem Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Erin Harvey and local councilor Iain Brodie Browne have been speaking to local residents about the discriminatory situation.

Councillor Iain Brodie Browne said  “Lifts were only installed at this station in late 2022 following a long and sustained Lib Dem campaign, yet are often out of service due to the ticket office not being staffed. Local rail users with mobility issues often find themselves having to cancel or change plans at the last minute or even worse, cannot exit the platform upon arrival at Hillside as the expected lift is not functioning.”

Erin added “We have been informed that the ticket office should be open from 5.30 am until midnight, however staff are regularly called elsewhere leading to its early closure. For example, last Saturday the ticket office was closed in the afternoon/early evening when many people would have been travelling between Hillside and Southport or Hillside and Liverpool. It is appalling that people could be left stranded or have to take huge detours as they cannot physically exit Hillside Station. Merseyrail have clearly not thought through the impact last minute ticket office closures have on the local population.”

Erin and Iain have written to Merseyrail and the Liverpool City Region (who have oversight of Merseyrail) this week to seek a solution that allows the lifts to be in use even when the ticket office is closed. They are also pressing for the defibrillator inside the ticket office to be moved outside so it is accessible at all times.