Travel centre due to shut 'will be missed'

Nottingham Express Transit (NET) is closing its travel centre in the city centre in March

A tram firm has announced the closure of its city travel centre after a "significant decrease in footfall".

Nottingham Express Transit (NET) said on Monday its shop in King Street, near Old Market Square, would permanently shut on 25 March.

While some customers said they often used their phones for travel information, they felt in-person customer service would be missed.

The tram operator told customers on its website the move comes after "positive changes" across the network, including the launch of its ticketing app and contactless payments.

Sarah Turner, service delivery and safety director at NET, said the decision to close the centre was made following feedback from customers and ticket-purchasing trends.

She said: "We're always looking at ways we can improve the service we provide our customers, and this upcoming travel centre closure is one of many ways we're helping to do that.

"We've listened and taken their comments on board, and this closure is a reflection of that."

Sarah Peachey said she preferred talking to people instead of "talking to a machine"

Sarah Peachey, 52, who now lives in Sunderland, said she had previously lived in Nottingham long enough to confidently use the tram service without having to visit the centre.

However, she said she did prefer in-person customer service.

"Sometimes when we come here and we can't get to the machine we'd rather get to a shop," she said.

"I'm old school. I like to talk to somebody instead of talking to a machine."

Yvonne Reynolds, 66, has said she will not be affected by the closure as she qualifies for free travel.

"I think it'll be missed because it's been very helpful in the past for me," she said.

"It was great. I could get my tram ticket there because I'd prefer to do that than use a machine."

Yvonne Reynolds believes other tram users would miss the shop

Katherine Twigger, 80, who used the shop for the first time on Tuesday, said: "I'd probably have gone online [if I didn't use the shop].

"Usually you can ask someone else who uses the trams or ask Google or something.

"I think if they can incorporate the service they offer into the visitor centre, so the service isn't lost completely, that would be good."

Ms Turner, of NET, added: "The thousands of pounds saved from the closure such as the money spent on rent and energy bills, will be reinvested into the network to fund additional policing, allowing us to reinforce our zero-tolerance stance toward fare evasion, and enabling us to further increase safety across the network.

"We can confirm there will be no redundancies made as part of the closure, and the staff who are currently working at the travel centre will now be based at the NET depot on Wilkinson Street, where they will support customers with their journeys over the phone, WhatsApp, email and online via the customer support hub."