Disabled passengers describe train travel issues in London

Dr Ali Carre told the BBC that “despite being fiercely independent” as a wheelchair user, repeated problems travelling on trains have “totally put me off train travel”.

Dr Carre described how, on one occasion, the booked passenger assistance service failed to meet her at Reading.

The retired psychiatrist said this meant she was left “dragging myself off the train and onto platform with my wheelchair upside down”.

“I really hurt my hand and arm, which ruined my holiday as a manual wheelchair user,” she said.

Dr Carre also described problems at Paddington station, including being left on a train which was suddenly taken out of service.

All the other passengers left, said Dr Carre, but she was left alone.

“No one came to help,” she said. “I started pushing the emergency button for more than 15 mins before someone came.”