FEARS have been raised that a Travel Centre at Worcester’s Foregate Street station may be lost in a future upgrading of the station.

But, county councillor, Alan Amos has said it must stay.

The Cotswold Line Promotion Group is concerned the centre - 40 years old this year - may be affected by new proposals.

The plans under consideration would see the installation of ticket barriers, merging the travel centre and booking hall and creating a new coffee shop.

Cllr Amos, a regular user of the centre, said: “I and thousands of Worcester passengers would be appalled if this centre were to close. All the staff in there are extremely knowledgeable and always most helpful providing passengers with the right ticket.

“It is a resource that cannot be replicated in a busy and open ticket office area and it would be especially difficult for elderly and hard-of-hearing passengers whose interests the railways should be looking after.

“The train operating companies would certainly lose business if this more personalised service were closed. I will certainly do everything I can to ensure we maintain and enhance this vital and much-loved resource in Worcester.”

A CLPG spokesman said: “The centre, one of the few remaining in the whole country, is designed specifically to deal with advance bookings, reservations and more detailed itineraries and enquiries, group bookings and railcards.

“Many customers appreciate its comfortable surroundings, avoiding the need to carry out longer transactions in an often cold, draughty and noisy booking hall. It is also particularly popular with the elderly and disabled, who have a seated area to wait in comfort.”

A West Midlands Railway spokesman said the company is committed to improving the station, but does not have more details at the moment.