New figures obtained by the Labour Group on the GLA and released today show a net increase in total transactions at tube ticket offices from 7.418 million in 2012 to 7.577 million in 2013 – making a nonsense of claims that the booking offices are in decline and some sort of relic from the past.

The latest figures come hot on the tail of other research which has exposed the fact that David Cameron’s claim in Parliament that “only 3% of transactions now involve ticket offices” is totally misleading and disingenuous .

Independent research by fullfact.org shows that the truth is that one in five journeys, 20%, originate at a ticket office.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

“As the detailed discussions on ticket offices and staffing station-by-station are under way more facts that expose the truth about ticket office usage are emerging which will fuel RMT’s case against the closures and against the job losses.

“The news that total transactions at ticket offices are on the rise knocks into a cocked hat the argument that the booking offices, and the staff who operate them, are some kind of relic from the past.

“Tube bosses and the Mayor must take note of the new and growing evidence that they have called this one wrong and that the case for cuts and closures is being systematically demolished before their eyes.”