STATEMENT OF THE LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD COMMUTER’S COUNCIL ON THE CLOSING OF TICKET SELLING OFFICE AT NORTHPORT STATION
August 26, 2009
The Long Island Rail Road Commuter’s Council (LIRRCC) stands strongly opposed to the closing of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) ticket office at its Northport station. Although there are other means of purchasing tickets, ticket offices in local stations remain an essential element of the services provided to riders. When riders need assistance, having appropriate staff present in the station is critical. As one of our Council members expressed, “Machines can’t answer our questions when we need assistance.” Through decisions such as the closing of Northport station’s ticket office, the LIRR is actively degrading the quality of life in our communities on Long Island; the railroad and the MTA must give greater weight to the impact of these decisions on our communities.
Riders want the Rail Road to maintain a human presence in their stations. The closing of the Northport station ticket office, which is just one of twenty recent closings of ticket offices in Long Island stations, is a disservice to LIRR riders and their communities. It diminishes the relationship between the Rail Road and the public, damages an important community facility and resource, and contributes to further erosion in Long Island’s heritage of small, close-knit communities.
Download here: LIRRCC Statement on Northport Ticket Office Closing