10th July 2008

To: All South West Trains Branches

Dear Colleague

South West Trains - Keep Ticket Offices Open!

The campaign to keep South West Trains Ticket Offices Open and oppose cuts in
ticket office hours was launched at the recent AGM with the attached press release.

As you can see the company are proposing to make these cuts despite a significant
increase in station use and rising profits.

South West Trains will be forced to reconsider their proposals if we mount a vigorous
campaign against the cuts.

The passenger watchdog, Passenger Focus, has the power to object to the proposals
from the South West Trains. If an objection is made then plans are referred to the
Department for Transport for a final decision. It is therefore vital that we campaign
to ensure that our members and passengers let Passenger Focus know that the cuts
should not go ahead.

We have been advised that the public consultation on the cuts and closures will be
opened by South West Trains on about 14th July and then objections have to be
received by Passenger focus within 21 days of that date.

The union is therefore taking the following action and you are urged to do
everything you can do support the campaign

1. The campaign will be run jointly with the TSSA.

2. By 14th /15th July every South West Trains member will receive a letter from
the union containing a FREEPOST postcard objecting to the closures which
they will be asked to send to Passenger focus.

3. I enclose with this letter 200 postcards and also stickers which you
are asked to distribute widely to passengers.

4. We will be aiming to organise a leafleting day of passengers.

 5. We will commission a opinion poll on the proposals.

6. Letters will be sent to trades councils and trades unions in the region,
together with local authorities and Members of Parliament asking that they
object to the proposals.

7. We are hopeful that sympathetic MPs will table a motion in Parliament

supporting the campaign.

Remember all objections need to be registered with Passenger Focus by

4th August at the latest.

RMT members on London Underground have recently won their campaign

to keep Ticket Offices Open and I know that we can also win the campaign
on South West Trains.

Together we can stop the cuts and closures.

Yours sincerely

Bob Crow
General Secretary