New plans to close Winchester Station ticket office has divided residents, with some welcoming the proposals to have the station staffed for longer. 

South Western Railway (SWR) has confirmed that they plan to close all ticket offices in Hampshire and will instead introduce 'more face-to-face support' for railway passengers. 

Instead of a ticket office, there will be a team of staff in each station to help customers from journey planning to ticket purchasing.

These proposals will see the Winchester ticket office close but the station is set to be manned by staff for a longer time period under the new proposals. 

READ MORE: All Hampshire railway station ticket offices are to be closed under new plans

Winchester ticket office is open from 6am until 8.30pm on weekdays, under the new plans the station will be staffed from 5.30am until 11pm. 

At the weekend, the office is open from 6am until 7.30pm on Saturdays, and 7am until 8.30pm on Sundays. 

Friends Brian Coby and Andrew Finley were both pleased by SWR’s new policy. Andrew said: "I think it’s better for people getting trains." 

One person in Winchester, who did not wish to be named said that the proposed consultation was: “Probably a good thing.” and that he would see an improved change at the station, if this consultation becomes a reality.

SEE MORE: Winchester City Council increase parking charges in the city centre

William Miller, 58 who is an Investment Analyst from Hursley did not think any particular changes would affect his travel arrangements, saying that he: “normally buy[s] a ticket online, just use it on my phone so it makes very little difference.”

Not everyone was convinced by the latest consultation news, with Winchester local resident Patricia Bedford, describing SWR’s new policy as an 'unnecessary luxury'. She said: "If you’re going to cut down on trains then you don’t need to have as many people working."

READ MORE: 'Happy-go-lucky' Worthy Down soldier died after being hit by a car, inquest hears

Claire Mann, Managing Director of South Western Railway, said: "In developing our proposal to modernise and update our stations, we’ve focused on delivering improvements for our customers, while also recognising that our people are the key to doing so.

"Our station colleagues play a vital role in delivering a positive customer experience. This proposal recognises their talent and dedication by opening up opportunities for career progression and comprehensive re-skilling.

“By multi-skilling our colleagues, we can offer a customer service that aligns with what customers actually want and need, in line with their expectations from modern retailing.

“Technology has already enabled significant change at our stations, with 75 per cent of passenger journeys made using smart media today. Our proposal simply seeks to build on these existing trends.

“We are consulting widely on our proposals and welcome feedback to help ensure a smooth transition to a more modern, customer focussed experience at our stations.”

Full details of SWR’s station change proposals can be found at southwesternrailway.com/stationchange and customers have until 26 July to comment on the proposals via Transport Focus or London TravelWatch.