Campaigners will be out in force this month at Norwich train station as they protest the closure of 1,000 ticket offices.
NOR4NOR (Norfolk for the Nationalisation of Rail), a campaign group advocating for the public ownership of railways, is joining rail union RMT in protest tomorrow (August 9) and on Wednesday, August 16 between 11am and 1pm.
It comes amid news that consultation talks, which initially finished on July 26, could be extended after claims that the 21-day consultation was too short and discriminatory against disabled people who say they've been "completely ignored".
Dave Welsh, from NOR4NOR, said: "Rail ticket offices have been a vital part of the fabric of Britain's railway system for nearly 200 years and have been around far longer than the private companies that currently 'run' our railways.
"They are an essential part of the social railway that brings people together and ensures connections between communities.
"They've provided employment for the generations of men and women that give advice, support and efficient service to passengers, particularly assisting disabled people.
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"This social railway is now threatened by a profit-centred railway with the decision to close at least 1,000 ticket offices during the next three years."
Greater Anglia said the centres will "provide help with complex transactions" and, though changes would be made to opening hours, no alterations would be made to staff availability.
NOR4NOR describes itself as a "democratically led campaigning group" that is independent but supportive of campaign groups including The People's Assembly, Action for Rail and Climate Rush.
Mr Welsh added: "The government talks about a modernised railway and closing ticket offices is supposed to make stations modern.
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"But this just means cuts to basic services and track equipment leading to pollution and deaths.
"We need regional plans that include new stations based on light rail networks and these stations will be hubs with a new type of ticket office.
"None of this can happen with the current privatised system in which private companies cream off profits."
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