Disabled woman left for two hours in pouring rain on train station platform slams railway's 'disgusting' wheelchair service

Kirsty Hoare of Shifnal had to eventually be carried over a railway bridge by her husband, after the pair had waited for more than two hours for assistance from West Midlands Railways.

The 35-year-old, who suffers from multiple physical conditions, became a powerchair user earlier this year due to her physical disabilities.

While her local train station in Shifnal is not accessible to wheelchair users, Mrs Hoare used the Passenger Assistance App offered by West Midlands Railways when she wanted to travel by train.

But the move left her marooned at a station when assistance failed to show up.

“I'd not long been a powerchair user when a group of us decided to go to Birmingham to visit a steam rally in September,” she said. “My husband and I decided to go by train. West Midlands Railways have a Passenger Assistance App, which I used to book some help well in advance.

“How it works is when there is a platform without wheelchair access, such as Shifnal, which has a stepped bridge, you arrange on the app to get taken to the nearest accessible station and they send a taxi to take you, and on the way back, they arrange for you to get off at the nearest accessible platform and collect you.”

But she said despite repeated calls, she was left for two hours waiting for help that never came.

“I'd booked my return journey to Shifnal well in advance and it had been arranged that I would get off at Codsall at 7pm and somebody would meet us and take us to Shifnal, but they never showed,” she said.

“I'd even phoned them when my train was delayed to let them know I'd be late and they said not to worry and that somebody would be there.

“When we got off the train, no one was there. It was tipping down with rain and my husband and I were on the platform for more than two hours. I repeatedly called them and they said they were coming but eventually we gave up.

“We ended up catching a train to Shifnal where my husband had to carry me across the bridge, which was hardly dignifying.”

The regular train user said she has had no problems using other rail networks across the region, but has slammed West Midlands Railways after they have failed numerous times to turn up.

“It wasn't the first time. You book on the app and they never show,” she said. “You call and call and they say they are on their way. The app is useless and if you use the phone they just lie to you and say they are coming.

“I've used Avanti and had no problem, I've used Transport for Wales and they were waiting on the platform when I got off. But West Midlands Railway's service for wheelchair users is disgusting.”

She said that she has complained numerous times to the company but is still awaiting a response.

“They are just not making any changes and I don't know what else what me and other disabled passengers can do to make them to listen and make changes,” she said.

She has now contacted  Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, a former British Paralympian, who was forced to crawl off an LNER train at London's King's Cross station in August 2023 because there was no one to help her. 

West Midlands Railways has apologised to Ms Hoare.

A spokesperson said: “We are very sorry Ms Hoare has experienced problems using our services recently and we are seeking to make contact to understand more, learn any lessons and make improvements.

“Running an accessible railway is a priority for us. We deliver the vast majority of the thousands of Passenger Assistance bookings we receive every year successfully and we are disappointed this has not been Ms Hoare’s experience.

"We are committed to improving the service we offer our passengers, which includes dedicated assistance booking, a senior conductor on every train and recent station enhancements at key locations across our network."