SHOPWORKERS’ union Usdaw has opposed plans for a nationwide rollout of a scheme allowing railway tickets to be sold in convenience stores.

Labour was also urged to keep railway ticket offices open in motions passed at the union’s annual conference in Blackpool today.

Former railway worker Robert Ingleby paid tribute to his ex-RMT colleagues for their Save our Ticket Offices campaign, which led to a public outcry that saw the Tory government withdraw its plans to close nearly every ticket office in England last year.

The Usdaw Northants Morrisons Distribution delegate said: “Ticket office staff are trained personnel on the fares, systems, journeys and they are a wonderful piece of information once they are utilised.

“The staff in convenience stores are not knowledgable as they are in ticket offices but all they are getting is commission on the tickets.”

Deputy general secretary Dave McCrossen added that he and general secretary Paddy Lillis joined many Usdaw members on RMT demonstrations against the ticket closures plans and that the rollout would be contributing to putting railway workers’ jobs at risk. 

He added: “Our union is committed to protecting jobs wherever they may be a risk.

“We all now that working in retail is hard enough without the extra pressure of selling tickets being added to the workload, so Usdaw is categorically against this.”

Delegates resolved to “strongly” object to plans to rollout nationally the current trial in south Wales that allows the sale of rail ticket in convenience stores.

Usdaw also passed a motion to lobby Labour mayors Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham to provide greater support to low-income families adversely affected by Ulez fees and fines.