Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham along with four other metro mayors are preparing to take legal action against train operators to stop the closure of just under 1,000 ticket offices.

Industry body Rail Delivery Group drew up plans to close the offices across the country and will move onto station concourses to assist passengers there.

This includes offices at some of the UK’s busiest stations, such as London Waterloo, London Euston, Birmingham New Street and Manchester Piccadilly as well as local train stations, Farnworth, Lostock, and Bromley Cross.

This prompted a protest from The Bolton Pensioners Association and others around Greater Manchester who opposed the move as they said it would be detrimental to especially older rail users.

Writing in the Daily Mirror, Mr Burnham said: “For the good of the country, it’s a campaign we must win.

The Bolton News: Campaign against the closures

“If the Government and the rail industry get their way, it will erode what remains of public trust in travelling by train and hasten Britain towards a faceless, soulless society.

“We do not believe the train operators have taken the required steps in law to make a change on this scale and hear the voices of those most affected. We believe we can stop them in their tracks.”

The group of mayors includes, Mr Burnham, the mayor of Liverpool City-Region Steve Rotheram, the mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin, the mayor of South Yorkshire Oliver Coppard and the mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Dr Nik Johnson.

Rail Union TSSA also announced that over 100,000 people responded to proposals.

The union’s Interim General Secretary, Peter Pendle, welcomed the news that the 100,000 figure had been passed but called on the public to do more.

Mr Pendle said: “It's delighted that more than 100,000 people have taken the time to share what ticket office closures would mean for them and goes to show the strength of our case.

“Vague promises about staff being moved to roving roles on the platform carry no detail and no weight – especially when train companies are all set for job cuts on a grand scale. Last week in the House of Commons, transport minister Huw Merriman faced stiff warnings over closing the offices.

He said: “Then in terms of the 1pc that we then need to work on, as part of this process, I have charged the industry and officials to speed up the process so that more can be purchased in that particular manner, and changing ticket machines so that can occur.”