Shropshire Star

Wheelchair user’s anger at lack of staff at Telford Central - with video

A wheelchair-using train passenger has spoken of her dismay after booking a trip only to discover there will be no staff at Telford Central railway station to help her.

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Wheelchair user Fiona Smith outside Telford Central station. She needs assistance with travel

Fiona Smith, 52, of St Georges, Telford, is due to travel to London Euston next month and booked her return Virgin Train tickets online requesting passenger assistance for each leg.

But when the booking confirmation was emailed to her, she spotted that in fact there was no assistance available on her return to the station which is operated by West Midlands Railway.

The issue escalated when Virgin’s assistance service refused to accept that she would have difficulties getting out of the station on her own due to work to build a £10 million footbridge across the track.

A Virgin representative has since telephoned Mrs Smith, of St Georges, to discuss the matter and to offer alternative arrangements for her to alight with assistance at Wolverhampton instead.

Mrs Smith, a community volunteer, said: “This is just crazy, it shouldn’t be happening.

"Because I recently had a great experience travelling with Virgin from Wolverhampton when friends dropped me off, I thought I would book from Telford this time as my friends weren’t available.

"I booked direct to Euston as it was easy to do. I’ll get to London no problem.

Mrs Smith at the station, where work is being done to replace the bridge

“But when I checked the booking details there was no assistance for arrival back at Telford as the station will be unmanned at that time.

“When I rang Virgin’s assistance line to point this out, they were less than helpful.

"When I explained that there is building work going on at Telford Central which meant I can’t get from platform two to the exit with my luggage without assistance, they wouldn’t believe me and said they had no record of the footbridge work going on. This isn’t on.

“It is discrimination against people who are disabled or have mobility issues. This is making me feel more and more isolated now because I’m worried if anything else is going to go wrong on my trip which is off-putting.

“Booking a train journey shouldn’t be like that.

“It should be straightforward and it shouldn’t have taken 10 days since I made a complaint to Virgin to get a resolution.

“I’m speaking out about it because I want to raise awareness about the challenges people face when trying to access the railway service.”

Virgins Trains spokesman Richard Stanton said the company was working with West Midlands Railway to resolve the issue.

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