Save Our Station Ticket Office

Levenshulme Station Ticket Office is under the threat of being closed.

What is being proposed and why?

Northern Rail operates Levenshulme train station and is proposing to close Levenshulme Station Ticket Office and leave us with only a ticket machine. This would be a permanent closure of the ticket office.

Full details of the proposed ticket office closure are available HERE.

You can download a PDF summary of the ticket office closure proposals here:

Northern Rail says:

“We know that stations will play an important part of our vision, which is why we will make sure that they better serve all our customers as well as the local communities that live around them.”

Northern rail, july 2023

Northern Rail’s claim it will “better serve all our customers” by closing Levenshulme Station ticket office is nonsense. That is not better service. It is bad enough that we still have no step free access at Levenshulme Station. It is unacceptable to close our ticket office as well for reasons of safety, accessibility, information, ticket sales and advice.

Ticket sales at Northern Rail operated stations are almost 50% higher than the national average. People depend on the ticket office and the staff for help, advice and information. Ticket machines cannot provide the same services.

How to respond:

The consultation is open now but it ends very soon so please respond as soon as possible with your comments. The consultation is managed by Transport Focus, the independent transport user watchdog, on behalf of Train Operating Companies.

The deadline for responding to the consultation is 23.59 on 28 July.

Remember to name Levenshulme Station in your response.

If you would like to know more about the consultation process and what happens next please go to transportfocus.org.uk

Levenshulme Community Association has already committed to write to Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, Manchester City Council Leader Bev Craig, our MP Afzal Khan and our local councillors, Zahid Hussain, Dzidra Noor and Basat Sheikh to seek their commitment to oppose the proposed closure of Levenshulme Station Ticket Office. We will also be working with the Friends of Levenshulme Station to campaign against this proposal. We will also say that such a short consultation is not acceptable and must be extended.

Manchester Piccadilly Station Ticket Offices also to be closed

Please note that Manchester Piccadilly Ticket Offices are also threatened with permanent closure. They are operated by Avanti West Coast. You can out information and respond to that proposed closure HERE.

Please join us in campaigning to SAVE OUR STATION TICKET OFFICE.

Levenshulme Station Improvements

Network Rail will start work on improvements to Levenshulme Station this month.

Work is scheduled to start on Monday 28th September and finish on Friday 13th November 2020 with work taking place between 7am and 5pm.

Flooding in the subway under the platforms has been a problem for many years. The inside of the station will be upgraded with new lighting, flooring (a new concrete and resin floor), a new ceiling, cladding and painting.

The work will involve a temporary closure of the subway tunnel so the old Albert Road entrance will be reinstated permanently. This will provide access to platform 1 only until the subway reopens. Access to platform 2 will continue from the existing entrance. Access to both platforms will be available from either side of the tracks once work is completed.

Apart from the reopening of the Albert Road station entrance no other improvements will be done as part of these improvements. Friends of Levenshulme Station continue to campaign for access improvements alongside other local groups such as the LCA, local councillors (Dzidra Noor, Basat Sheikh and Bernard Stone) and our MP (Afzal Khan).

Image courtesy of Conrad Bower / themeteor.org

Levenshulme Station Improvements

March 13 report from Afzal Khan on improvements to Levenshulme Station.

“Last week I attended a site visit to Levensulme Station with representatives from Northern and Network Rail, as well as one of the local councillors. In the past few years there has been a number of issues at the station including flooding, poor lighting, and overall lack of cleanliness. I was therefore delighted to be walked through the improvements that are due to take place in the Spring. 

These include:

  • Removing existing wall and ceiling cladding in the subway, including gutters and existing redundant and temporary light fittings
  • Deep clean and refurbish newly exposed glazed brick subway walls and fittings
  • Replace existing tiled subway floor with new concrete floor slab and resin floor finish
  • Install new lighting in the subway
  • Install new drainage channels along both subway walls to accept discharge from gutter downpipes, and any surface water from the subway floor
  • Remove existing ceilings above station entrance and platform stairs and install new boarded ceilings

While I was incredibly disappointed that Levenshulme Station wasn’t awarded any Access for All funding from the Department for Transport, despite submitting a very strong bid backed by a great community campaign, I will be continuing to explore other funding options to improve accessibility at this busy station.

However, I am very pleased that stations elsewhere in Manchester Gorton have been awarded Access for All funding. Work will start soon at Belle Vue and Ryder Brow railway stations to improve safety and accessibility.”