Rayleigh and Wickford MP, Mark Francois, has called on Rail Minister Huw Merriman MP, to abandon unpopular plans, to close ticket offices across the country.
The Essex MP made his plea during a debate at Westminster, inspired by over 100,000 people rapidly signing a petition opposed to the proposals. The second highest number of petitioners, over 1,600, came from Mark’s own constituency.
Notably, during the 90-minute debate in Westminster Hall, Parliament’s second debating Chamber, not a single backbench MP - from any party - supported the Government’s plans.
In summing up his opposition to the proposals, Mark offered the Minister some advice, as follows:
“In all seriousness I offer him and the Government some genuine advice: look around. The proposals are completely unloved. They are not popular even among Conservative Back Benchers—quite, quite the opposite. I urge the Minister to accept that mistake has been made. It may not have been his mistake, but I say to him: take the hint, drop it, get rid of it and retreat gracefully. Do not press forward with this. The House of Commons does not want it and nor do our constituents.”
Speaking shortly after the debate, Mark added:
“The consultation on these proposals has now ended and the Government has yet to respond. These plans are highly unpopular in my constituency, as the large number of signatures on the petition demonstrate, so I earnestly hope the Government will think again and common sense may yet prevail.”
