WITH reference to your report 'Just the ticket' (LET, July 6), the proposal to move the booking office at Blackburn's railway station to platform level when the rebuilding is complete is a bad one, for a number of reasons.

First: such a move would add to the problems of the elderly and infirm who make inquiries and purchase tickets in advance by the additional demands of negotiating the gradients of the subways from street level to platform level and back again.

Second: the booking office closes much earlier than the other elements of station and train working demand, so booking office staff would not be present during the late evening, which seems to be the nub of the problem.

Third:, it could be a health hazard to the booking office staff. I say this from experience 50 years ago this year as a railway relief clerk based at Blackburn, but working at stations throughout Lancashire as required.

I had to work in the then parcels office of Southport's Chapel Street station on numerous occasions during the spring to autumn period under a partially-glazed roof. Although the parcel delivery van loading bay doors were kept open to obtain a circulation of air in the office, I regularly became drowsy during the course of my eight-hour shift.

I consider that the booking office staff working in the glass capsule under direct sunlight would be at risk to health problems.

A MERCER, Cornwall Avenue, Knuzden, Blackburn.

Footnote: First North Western Trains say negotiations are still ongoing about the possibility of moving the ticket office to platform level and points raised in Mr Mercer's letter are among the issues being discussed.

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