In common with the rest of the passenger rail industry, East Midlands Trains has a strong desire to ensure that every passenger has their ticket checked. One of the most effective ways of achieving this is through the installation of ticket barriers at major stations and, as part of the franchise bid we submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT), we proposed to install barriers at a number of key stations.
We recognise that gating Sheffield station is a far from straight-forward proposition, not least because of its potential impact on stakeholders. Therefore, we have arranged a number of stakeholder meetings to discuss the issues around Sheffield station. The objective of these meetings is to identify the needs of those people who currently need to use the station and how these needs can be met whilst still ensuring that ticketless travel is reduced.
Through initial discussions and further correspondence received by both Sheffield City Council and East Midlands Trains, we now have a clear picture of everybody’s concerns. In the next few days we will be arranging for a number of stakeholders to discuss gate design issues with our gating project manager. Based on this feedback, we will review our outline plans before making any decision on the implementation of gates at Sheffield. We are committed to holding further talks before any decision is made.
For the benefit of all, we are determined to find the right solution, and we can only achieve this by listening to the needs of both rail users and residents. We hear your concerns and will hold further talks with the working group before any final decisions are taken. If you’d like to get in touch to give us any further feedback, please contact us on 08457 125678.
East Midlands Trains has a strong commitment to Sheffield. As one of the eight core cities, we are proud to serve Sheffield and want to maintain a successful working relationship with its businesses and residents. Large investment has already been made into the station and its surrounding area, and now we are planning to improve the train service.
Jake Kelly
Customer Service Director
East Midlands Trains