A UNION has raised fresh concerns over cuts to travel centres on the East Coast Mainline – and warned of possible strike action.

The question of planned changes to travel centres operated by Virgin East Coast has been raised publicly several times by the RMT rail union this year and now its counterparts at the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) has reiterated its concerns.

Discussions between bosses and union representatives have been taking place over the proposals and the TSSA said a memo to staff had revealed the centres would be replaced by open plan “customer zones”.

Staff would be on hand to help passengers buy tickets through machines – presumably at the expense of staff selling tickets over the counter in the traditional fashion.

The TSSA said the plans could lead to the loss of 46 jobs.

General secretary Manuel Cortes said: "This looks like another cost-cutting exercise at the expense of passengers and staff, all dressed up as improving customer service.

"It looks to us it will mean longer queues and more expensive tickets because we have not yet got the technology to sell the whole range of tickets through had held machines.

"Coming on top of what is happening at Southern [another rail franchise], there seems a wider agenda here of attacking staffing conditions across other franchises.

"Our members are clearly unhappy about what is happening and we will have to consult them about what to do next. A ballot on industrial action cannot be ruled out."

A Virgin Trains East Coast spokeswoman said: “We have big plans for the east coast franchise with £140m of investment aimed squarely at making the customer experience the best it can be. “Proposed changes at our travel centre are part of those plans which put the customer at the heart of all our operations.

“Where any changes affect our travel centre colleagues, we will be consulting fully with them and the TSSA in due course.”