Northern have apologised for closing the ticket office at Bromley Cross station on a number of occasions last month.

The train operator blamed staff sickness.

Simon Pearce, local resident, said the ticket office is vital as ticket machines do not offer the same options behind the counter - and are not always user friendly

Mr Pearce had previously secured a Grade 2 Listing for the historic station in 2014, with the support of then Bolton North East MP, David Crausby.

Read more: Bolton school and train company team up to fight children fare dodging

He said: “I do not travel daily now, but outside of strike days, found a locked door happening once too often in the last year.

“I’ve seen people struggling with ticket machines, people younger than me, and the ticket machines don’t do rail cards or season tickets.

“Not everyone buys their tickets on a mobile phone, through an app.”

Read more: Turton School on list for number of pupils who travel without train ticket

He continued: “It is important that these ticket offices are open. It’s not just two days, I found the ticket office closed, not on strike days, around four to five times.

“This isn’t the first time. And I’m not a daily user of the station, so it could be more.”

A Northern spokesperson said: “We are sorry that we had to close Bromley Cross booking office for a couple of days at the start of September.

“We can confirm the booking office is staffed during planned opening times but like any other operation it can be affected by colleague illness. Ticket machines were operational for the two days staff weren’t available.”