Andy Burnham is leading a group of five mayors who are taking legal action over the proposed closure of train station ticket offices.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester and Liverpool city region Mayor Steve Rotheram are two of the local mayors forming part of the campaign after the government-run Rail Delivery Group (RDG) unveiled plans last week to “bring station staff closer to customers” by moving them out of ticket offices and onto platforms and concourses instead.
Around three out of five train stations in England currently have a staffed ticket office, but all that could change moving forward with just under 1,000 of them earmarked to close – including at some of the UK’s busiest stations, such as Manchester Piccadilly.
In a letter penned to Transport Secretary Mark Harper to express his discontent at the proposed closures last week, the Greater Manchester Mayor also called for an “immediate suspension” to rail operator Northern‘s process.
ADVERTISEMENT
He then threatened that otherwise, he will “have no other option” but to consider legal action.
🗣️ "Passengers and staff have been taken aback by the scale of the proposed changes. To announce them without prior warning and head straight into a 21-day consultation period feels wholly inadequate to an issue of this seriousness."
— Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham (@MayorofGM) July 6, 2023
Now, it seems that that consideration has become a reality, as Mr Burnham has teamed up with four other regional mayors to take charge.
ADVERTISEMENT
As well as Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram, the other regional mayors forming part of the legal campaign group are the Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin, the Mayor of South Yorkshire Oliver Coppard, and the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Dr Nik Johnson.
According to the group, the campaign will take action against Northern, Thameslink, LNER, TransPennine Express, Greater Anglia, Avanti, and EMR.
Andy Burnham is taking legal action over proposed rail ticket office closures / Credit: RDG
“For the good of the country, it’s a campaign we must win,” Mr Burnham wrote in the Daily Mirror today.
ADVERTISEMENT
“If the Government and the rail industry get their way, it will erode what remains of public trust in travelling by train, and hasten Britain towards a faceless, soulless society.
“We do not believe the train operators have taken the required steps in law to make a change on this scale and hear the voices of those most affected.
Together with other Mayors, I’m initiating legal action against the train operators and their 21-day “consultation” on ticket office closures.
We’ll explain more tomorrow about why we believe we have a strong case to get the current process stopped.https://t.co/NGvlKXYRdG
Mr Burnham said a 21-day consultation on the plans were not long enough to consider the full implication of the closures, adding that “those in charge” are on a mission to “run [railway stations] down” and “turn passengers away so they can just focus on the most profitable parts”.
“The rail operators may be fronting up these plans,” he concluded, “but make no mistake, the Government is standing behind them and handing over the axe.”
Featured Image – RDG
News
Police release footage of missing Manchester man Adeo Alston-Ekpei’s last-known movements
Emily Sergeant
Video footage showing the last-known movements of a Manchester man who’s been missing for three weeks now has been released.
Detectives at Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are continuing to search for Adeo Alston-Ekpei, who has not been seen since Friday 16 May.
The 25-year-old was seen in Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury at around 3pm, before later being seen walking down Kingsway away from Manchester and close to the River Mersey, at around 5.20pm that same day.
Multiple lines of enquiry being explored by police at present, but anyone who believes they may have seen him from around this time, is asked to get in touch.
Adeo is described as being a mixed-race male, with long curly black hair and a long singular dreadlock, and bleached eyebrows. He has a cupid’s bow piercing and a right eyebrow piercing. He also has an ‘AKA’ tattoo on his right wrist, and a ‘24’ tattoo in the right side of his chest.
He was last seen wearing long blue denim shorts, an undone green short-sleeved button-up shirt, and white Adidas trainers.
Friends have also recently set up a public fundraiser to help with the search for Adeo.
Adeo Alston-Ekpei has been missing for almost three weeks / Credit: GMP
“We are dedicated to finding Adeo and getting much-needed answers for his family,” commented Detective Inspector Kelly, from GMP’s Manchester district, as the footage was released to the public this week.
“I would ask any residents around the Kingsway area, and surrounding housing estates off Kingsway into Gately, and who may have dashcam or CCTV footage from around this time, to please check and get in touch if you have any information.
“Likewise, if anyone believes they have seen Adeo, please get in touch with one of our officers. Any information is appreciated and investigated as we continue our work.”
#MISSING | We are continuing to ask for information relating to missing Adeo, who was last seen on May 16.
We have additionally released CCTV footage showing Adeo’s last known movements on Kingsway, Manchester.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) June 5, 2025
A spokesperson for Adeo’s family described the missing man as ‘kind, funny, and intelligent’ with a ‘huge heart’, but they say he ‘wasn’t himself when he disappeared’.
“He may have come across as agitated, lost, or confused,” the spokesperson admitted. “In his last call to his mum, he was in a very vulnerable state.”
Anyone with any information regarding Adeo’s whereabouts is urged to contact South Manchester CID directly on 0161 856 6051 or 0161 856 6063, or you can use the LiveChat function on GMP’s website and quote log number 838 of 18/05/25.
Alternatively, you can report information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – GMP
News
Tributes pour in after Heaton Park’s beloved resident donkey Ralph dies at age 40
Emily Sergeant
The time has come… one of Heaton Park’s beloved resident donkeys, Ralph, has sadly died at the impressive age of 40.
As regular visitors to Manchester‘s largest park may be aware, Ralph the donkey recently celebrated his 40th birthday – which, even more impressively, actually made him 120 in donkey years – and it was a truly incredible achievement for him to reach, especially as The Donkey Sanctuary says that the average life expectancy for a donkey is just over 30 years of age.
But earlier this week, things sadly took a turn for the worse.
Heaton Park‘s Estates Team made the decision to contact a vet for a site visit after identifying some changes with Ralph’s behaviour, and unfortunately, this was found to be caused by a ruptured intestine.
So it’s with ‘deep sadness’ that the park had to announce to the public that Ralph passed away later that afternoon.
“Ralph meant a lot to many, both staff and all our visitors, and he will be deeply missed within the park,” Heaton Park & Hall said in tribute to their beloved friend on social media this week.
They also shared an adorable image of him when he was just a young foal.
Those who had the pleasure of seeing Ralph roam the park over the past four decades soon began flooding the comments, sharing their own emotional tributes to the friendly face who’s sadly no longer with us.
Heaton Park’s beloved resident donkey Ralph celebrating his 40th birthday / Credit: Heaton Park & Hall (via Facebook)
“Sleep easy buddy, you had a wonderful charmed life and you deserved it,” one touching comment read on Facebook, while another added: “Aww Godspeed Ralph, you had a happy life, now its time to rest,” and a third commented: “So sorry to hear this sad news about Ralph, but glad to know he has enjoyed a long and happy life.”
Another tribute reads: “RIP Ralph, you brought a lot of joy to a lot of people,” as does this similar one: “Aww bless him. He’d had a long and happy life, and gave much happiness too.”
Emily Sergeant -
18th July 2023 
