Stafford Railway Station is set to receive automatic ticket barriers as part of efforts to combat county lines drug trafficking in Staffordshire. Funding from the Department for Transport has been allocated for the installation, aligning Stafford with other local stations such as Stoke-on-Trent and Wolverhampton.
Avanti West Coast, the current operator of Stafford Railway Station since December 2019, is collaborating with Network Rail, Stafford Borough Council, and Staffordshire County Council on redevelopment plans for the station’s surrounding area. The rail services managed by Avanti West Coast are scheduled to return to public ownership in March 2027.
Mark Osborne, Regional Growth Manager at Avanti West Coast, addressed the Economy, Infrastructure and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Staffordshire County Council on 24 September. He highlighted the partnership efforts and explained that evidence of county lines drug activity around the station from Stafford Borough Council strengthened their application for government funding.
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Osborne said the introduction of automatic ticket gates would not only help reduce revenue loss from ticketless travel but also serve as a measure to deter drug trafficking activities linked to county lines operating through the station. This initiative forms a key part of broader strategies to enhance safety and security for passengers and the local community in the Stafford area.