THERE are growing calls for proposed cuts to opening hours at ScotRail ticket offices in Renfrewshire to be scrapped.

Plans unveiled by the train operator, run by Dutch state-owned railway company Abellio, would see opening times at Johnstone station’s office reduced by more than an hour from Mondays to Thursdays.

On these same days, hours would be cut by more than two hours at Bishopton station and by nearly an hour-and-a-half at Paisley Gilmour Street.

Weekend opening hours for offices at all three sites would also be reduced, with the exception of Sundays at Bishopton station.

A coalition of organisations representing ScotRail workers and passengers has now written to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to call on the Scottish Government to intervene.

The letter was signed by the RMT, Aslef, TSSA, Unite and STUC trade unions, as well as the likes of Disabled People Against Cuts and the Scottish Pensioners Forum.

It states: “We believe these proposed cuts will worsen passenger service, accessibility, safety and security and will hinder Scotland’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The letter details concerns around the impact on passenger accessibility, adding: “Already, disabled people are less likely to use the railways and these substantial cuts would worsen accessibility by significantly reducing the times that disabled and elderly passengers could guarantee that staff will be present at the station.”

ScotRail said that it is proposing the changes to deliver a better level of service for customers as it looks to “transform the railway following the impact of the pandemic.”

It added there had been a 50 per cent drop in the use of ticket offices over the past 10 years, with the pandemic quickening that pace of change.