Join members from Islington Pensioners’ Forum on a demonstration to save rail ticket offices on August 31  

• MEMBERS of Islington Pensioners’ Forum demonstrated peacefully on August 17 beside Finsbury Park station ticket office distributing free-to-post cards.

Five or six British Transport Police arrived to threaten us with arrest if we did not move off. But a local policeman the BTP called for assistance pointed out that we were doing nothing wrong.

Someone also phoned our president Jeremy Corbyn to inform him and he swiftly joined us. The BTP quickly disappeared.

Recently we received a letter of thanks from the RMT and an invitation to join them on August 31 at 5pm at the Department of Transport, 33 Horseferry Road, to march on Downing Street.

So far 370,000 responses have been received against ticket-office closures which would mean the loss of over 1,000 jobs from the 14 privatised rail companies and no more help for older and disabled and other passengers to buy tickets, consult staff on best-value tickets, or easiest routes, etc.

The rail companies, with profits in mind, aim to replace ticket office staff with machines. The deadline for consultation has been extended by so many of the public responding against these cuts and closures to September 1st.

If you want to make your voice heard, see https://www.rmt.org.uk/home/ or email ticketoffice@londontravelwatch.org.uk

Ask friends and work colleagues to support this important campaign and join us on the demonstration on August 31.

OFFICERS OF ISLINGTON PENSIONERS’ FORUM, N1