RAIL chief Richard Bowker has stepped into the row over controversial plans to install ticket barriers at York station, claiming they would make it a safer place for passengers.

Mr Bowker, chief executive of National Express Group, which manages the station as well as operating East Coast Mainline trains to London, told The Press the measure was vital to protect revenue.

And he claimed people who did pay for their tickets did not want fare dodgers getting on the trains.

His comments come after National Express East Coast (NXEC) went back to the drawing board over its proposals, following a massive public backlash.

Opponents have included English Heritage, York Civic Trust, the Campaign For Better Transport, Micklegate Planning Panel and local Green Party politicians.

Two groups have also been set up to oppose the scheme, including the Campaign Against Barriers At York Station.

NXEC is to redraw the proposed layout, in response to concerns from national conservation group English Heritage and City of York Council’s conservation experts, that the barriers would spoil the station’s appearance.

Mr Bowker said he wanted to control access to the historic listed station so only fare-paying passengers could get on the platform area.

“It’s important that we keep the station a safe and pleasant place to be,” he said, claiming that the benefits outweighed the concerns people had.

He said York would not be the first station to have ticket barriers.

“They have been very successful in making sure the money does get collected and reinvested in the railway,” he added.

Mr Bowker was speaking while travelling on the Tornado steam train on Saturday, as it undertook its first passenger carrying run.

More than a thousand rail enthusiasts were on York station to wave it off.

But it is not clear how they would have been able to gain access to the platform if the ticket gates had already been in place.

Mr Bowker said a range of issues needed to be looked at, but refused to be drawn on the possibility of reintroducing platform tickets, which would allow train spotters and travellers families onto the platforms.

“At the moment what we need to do is get a scheme up and running that City of York Council is comfortable with, and I am sure that there’s a lot of detail that needs to be worked out in due course.”