During the course of my career, I have often had to commute to work.

This was mainly by car but there were spells when it was more appropriate to use public transport, specifically trains.

Before the pandemic, I was working in Manchester and the train commute was the least worst option, although there were some cold mornings on grossly overcrowded trains when I would cheerfully have swapped the rush hour crush to be in my car, stuck in traffic on the M56.

Being completely honest, those trips to and from Manchester were not happy experiences and it very much felt at the time that the system was only just about managing to function.

My complaints were regular but by no means unique – cancelled trains, late arriving trains, dirty, old rolling stock and short-formed trains with passengers crammed in.

Sometimes they were so packed the concept of personal space was just a bad joke.

But there was one thing you could always rely on – helpful staff in the ticket office.

It strikes me that for a system which seems on the verge of collapse, closing ticket offices will be the last straw.

So I have immense respect for those people who signed a petition to save the ticket offices in Northwich and Runcorn.

Weaver Vale MP Mike Amesbury launched the petition to save the ticket offices, holding a demonstration at Northwich station.

He said: “A big thank you to the people who have so far signed my petition calling on the Government to scrap the proposed closure of 1,000 ticket offices, including those at Northwich and Runcorn.

“People power has already led to the public consultation over the closures being extended until September 1.”

The demonstration at Northwich Station was attended by members of the public, councillors, the RMT union, and Northwich-based charity Disability Positive.

Mr Amesbury added: “Some customers who are elderly, disabled, or have special needs rely on being able to get tickets, advice, and help from a physical office.

"Others are saying the pricing system is so complex and confusing they rely on ticket office staff to ensure they get the best deal in these straitened times.”

Mr Amesbury also asked people to ‘spare a thought’ for the thousands of rail staff whose jobs could be at risk, including employees in the local community.

There can be little doubt the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) wanted to railroad the closures through when it launched a meager three-week consultation in July on plans its plans for the removal of 1,007 ticket offices across England within three years – combined with huge reductions in the hours of coverage of staff – as part of plans to ‘modernise the railway’.

The consultation was originally due to end on July 26, but following widespread objections to the short consultation period, the RDG has extended it until Friday, September 1.

So time is running out to lodge your objections. If you want to have your say, do a web search for 'Ticket office closures - Transport Focus'.

This is something worth fighting for.

On another topic, I’m absolutely delighted that Cheshire West and Chester Council’s library service has gained national recognition for its work to provide a safe and supportive space to people from all communities.

It is one of just 10 library authorities to gain the ‘Library Service of Sanctuary Award’ granted by City of Sanctuary UK.

The 'Libraries of Sanctuary' initiative recognises the libraries that meet defined standards to welcome people seeking sanctuary and other new arrivals into their community, and to foster a culture of welcome and inclusivity.

The aim is to support a nationwide network of welcoming spaces for people seeking sanctuary, helping recent arrivals to settle into their new communities while promoting understanding and celebrating the ways in which people seeking sanctuary contribute to society.

How refreshing this is from Cheshire West, in stark contrast to the cold and callous attitude shown by the government to those coming to this country to seek sanctuary.

As the Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network (QARN) said just last week: “The combined effect of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 and the Illegal Migration Act of 2023 has been to dehumanise and demonise the vast majority of asylum seekers.

“The use of barges to 'warehouse' new arrivals is the latest expression of this de-humanisation.”

Six years ago, Quakers in Britain's Sanctuary Everywhere Manifesto warned that government policies to criminalise entry into a country 'causes harm and deliberately increases human insecurity'.

I’m not particularly religious but I find myself agreeing with The Quakers and thank goodness there are people within Chester West and Chester Council who also seem to agree.