Incase anyone isn't aware, there is a move afoot to close down ticket booking offices at UK railway stations, leaving everyone having to book their train travel online. This will obviously have a huge impact on people who for whatever reason have problems with online booking (Visually impaired, or elderly possibly, or not having access to the internet just as examples that spring immediately to mind) but also I suspect on people wanting to travel with a dog (like me!)
I always ask the advice of the very kind and helpful people in the ticket office when I'm going to be travelling by train with Joy. I need to work out how many stops we'll need on a long journey, so that she can go for a wee and to stretch her paws for a bit, I need to know when it's not likely to be too busy and crowded, so she doesn't get trodden on and so very many other things that I don't believe online booking will take into account. OK, our most recent travels have not gone entirely to plan and she has coped brilliantly, but I still would prefer to know that I've done my best to make the journey as comfortable for her as possible and I don't believe that an impersonal online booking system can offer me this reassurance. So please, everyone, if you can possibly find a way to speak out against this planned change, then do. It's not just for GGJ and me, it's for everyone else who travels by train and for whatever reason needs that little extra advice/reassurance.
Thankyou xxx
Many thanks to Mags, John, Tatze and Ted for making us feel so welcome. It was lovely to see them after all this time, and to be introduced to the beautiful place where they have chosen to relocate. We look forward to welcoming them back here for a return visit.
