LEADING campaigners have criticised fresh plans for ticket barriers at York Station, saying they are “ugly and unnecessary”.

Verna Campbell, chairwoman of Campaign Against Barriers at York Station (CABYS), said the group remained opposed to the proposed automated ticket-gates, despite revisions by National Express East Coast (NXEC).

As reported in The Press yesterday, NXEC has submitted a new planning application for barriers, following widespread criticism of its original proposals.

It now intends to install lower barriers, create more symmetry between the two sides of the main concourse, and open up a link from the short-stay car park, but Mrs Campbell said its principal concerns remained.

She said: “We are pleased to see that, in their revised plans, NXEC have addressed the problem of access from the short-stay car park. However, the new plans do nothing to satisfy those of us who are upset at the way in which an important listed building is to be marred by the installation of ugly and unnecessary barriers.”

She said the debate was not solely on aesthetics, adding: “Basically, ticket barriers are just not suitable for this kind of station. York has no less than four separate entrances, with the result that at both the long-stay car park and the Leeman Road car park there will be no assistants on hand, just ticket machines and an intercom for passengers needing help.

“This means that people with disabilities (whether sensory, mental or physical) will have considerable difficulty dealing with these facilities, as too will mothers with small children and the elderly.”

Mrs Campbell also said that: • Passengers unable to buy the correct ticket or encountering problems with the barriers would have to walk to the front of the station • She feared NXEC may not have the staff necessary to man all the barriers at times when passengers would likely need assistance • Grand Central travellers would still be unable to buy tickets on-board trains, as they currently do, making the barriers anti-competitive.

NXEC has said barriers are necessary to improve security and to tackle fare-dodging, but Mrs Campbell said: “NXEC have not provided any evidence to demonstrate that the problems of fare evasion are of a type and scale that would be best addressed by ticket barriers, particularly given their other obvious disadvantages and cost.”

She said York Station should be seen as belonging to the people of York rather than NXEC.

Meanwhile, Philip Thake, chief executive of York Conservation Trust, said he was unimpressed by the argument for barriers.

“I cannot see the point in them,” he said.

“I think they are ruining a nice Victorian station.”

He said he did not believe York Station lent itself to barriers, and said he could not see what would be gained by having them.