RAIL travellers in Crewkerne are being urged to use the ticket office at the town’s railway station to ensure its long-term survival.

Last January, after a long campaign, Yeovil MP David Laws and local councillors and residents were successful in preventing South West Trains from significantly cutting staffing hours at the Crewkerne station.

But the decision by SWT remains under constant review and it is understood that the company has placed a target of 12 ticket sales each hour at the Crewkerne ticket office and at other stations around the network.

And Mr Laws said: “We had an important victory in January, but it is vital that we are not complacent about the future of the ticket office at Crewkerne station.

“I would urge local rail passengers to use the manned ticket office at Crewkerne station whenever possible. Otherwise, we risk finding that South West Trains try to cut office opening hours again in the future.”

He said that he “fears” that with SWT maintaining an ongoing review, there could still be staffing cuts in the future. And his message to Crewkerne people is simple – use the ticket office or lose it.