Mixed messages on Sheffield gating row

摘要

Despite his frequent calls for a reduction in direct government involvement in day-to-day franchise management, Transport Secretary Philip Hammond has reopened the controversy over gating the footbridge at Sheffield station. Although not a public right of way, the footbridge also provides a pedestrian link across the railway to and from the city centre. In a letter to local MP Nick Clegg on May 16, Hammond put the cost of ticketless travel at the station at £2-3m a year. This estimate is based on increased booking office receipts when manual checks are in place.