RAIL bosses were forced to extend their public consultation on mass ticket office closures today for another three weeks, following a fierce public backlash.

Unions and passenger groups welcomed the announcement by the Rail Delivery Group chief executive Jacqueline Starr that “train companies have listened to feedback” and are shifting the deadline to September 1.

The RMT and Aslef unions have warned that the plan will lead to the closure of more than 1,000 ticket offices with the loss of 2,300 station staff. 

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Although our pressure has forced their hand, it is still a deeply flawed and a wholly inadequate consultation process which we are considering challenging legally in the courts.

“Our campaign to save ticket offices, protect our members’ jobs and look out for the best interests of all rail passengers will only intensify in the coming weeks.”

Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan told the Morning Star: “Ticket offices and properly staffed stations are vital to support the needs of passengers and make our railway a safe and welcoming place for all travellers.”

Transport Salaried Staffs Association joint interim general secretary Peter Pendle added: “Three weeks was never long enough for a meaningful consultation and I’m glad to see the government backing down on that.

“While the extension to the consultation is welcome, what rail users really need is for this cynical and unnecessary plan to cut ticket office staff to be shelved completely.”

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is one of five Labour metro mayors preparing to take legal action in a bid to halt the “rushed” mass closure plan.

He said that the extension showed “we were right to challenge this flawed process,” but that it was still “not good enough,” as the law demands a 12-week consultation.

And shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said: “They must halt this chaotic consultation process and come clean about their plans for the future of our railways.”

Watchdogs Transport Focus and London TravelWatch have received more than 170,000 comments since the consultation was launched three weeks ago.

Tom Marsland, policy manager at disability equality charity Scope, said that “these botched plans will make rail travel impossible or much harder for many disabled people” and extending the consutation did nothing to address this.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission said it had raised concerns with the Department for Transport over the plan’s effects on the disabled and older individuals.