Tourists looking for Harry Potter studios could be left stranded by ticket office closures, councillors fear.

Hertfordshire's district and borough councils are scrambling to oppose plans to shut almost all railway station ticket desks in the county.

Cross-party politicians have warned mobility impaired people, elderly people and tourists could be put off travelling around Hertfordshire by train if it becomes harder to find in-person advice at the station.

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents UK train firms, said the proposals are "designed to move staff out of ticket offices and onto station platforms to support better, face-to-face interaction".

But borough councils in Stevenage and Watford have agreed they formally object to the plans, with councils in Broxbourne and East Hertfordshire due to debate their position before the consultation ends.

In Stevenage, all three party groups on the council's benches supported a motion against closures.

Cllr Simon Spellar (Lab, Shephall) and Cllr Robin Parker (LD, Chells) said some passengers need "reassurance" and that without it, they feel their only option is to use private transport.

Cllr Bret Facey (Con, Longmeadow), who has already responded to the consultation, said:""While digital ticket terminals are fine for booking tickets to get from A to B, when you need to get from A to Z and change at every letter in between, they are not easy to use"

"Ticket office staff seem to find a far cheaper ticket than any I can find online.

"At a time when the cost of living is biting, it seems wrong to remove this service now.

"We must remember that older residents who may not have a good level of digital literacy often find digital terminals unworkable, and we must of course not forget passengers with disabilities or learning difficulties who will also find digital ticket terminals challenging and are reliant on staff."

Conservative councillor for Woodfield Phil Bibby, who sits on Stevenage Borough Council and is responsible for transport throughout Hertfordshire, said: "Ticket offices should not be removed until other measures which simplify ticket purchasing have been put in place, such as fare restructuring and a full rollout of contactless payments.

"There needs to be a clear plan in place for people who need assistance in whatever form it takes."

Labour councillor Dennis Watling, who represents Callowland in Watford, said: "We have lots of human traffic in Watford, especially for Warner Bros Studio Tour.

"A lot of people will be staying in Watford for [Wembley] cup finals because it's cheaper to stay outside of London.

"At many stations, ticket office staff are the only ones present, and some passengers will only travel at times where there is somebody available."

Cllr Watling, who has a visual impairment himself, noted Guide Dogs for the Blind and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) have both voiced opposition to the proposals.

He added he recently met a couple stranded at Watford Met station, a London Underground stop with no ticket office, who were looking for the Harry Potter Studio Tour bus from Watford Junction – one mile away.

"Had station staff been there to help, they would have been on their way a lot sooner," Cllr Watling said.

The Labour and Liberal Democrat groups backed a motion which compels Mayor Peter Taylor to voice the borough's opposition in a letter to Huw Merriman MP, the rail minister.

Councillor Marilyn Devonish (LD, Watford Central), said: "When I'm coming back at two o'clock in the morning, there is a sense of relief there are staff at that station.

"It's one of the things which acts as a deterrent.

"If we are talking about safety, police presence and women feeling safe in Watford, having that presence in the ticket office is a really important part of preserving that in our community.

"Once it's lost, I don't think it's ever going to come back."