A TRAIN provider has apologised after a disabled woman was left “humiliated” when shewas left stranded on a train and station staff refused to offer her assistance.

Nichola Charvis, from Burnham, said her confidence was destroyed as she made her first solo journey in her wheelchair from Burnham to London Paddington.

Miss Charvis, 31, suffers from a neurological condition which means it is difficult for her to walk. She attempted the journey on Wednesday last week to try and build confidence having only been wheelchair-bound since July.

But she claims staff did not help her off the train in London, and despite informing Great Western Railway (GWR) staff at Paddington of her destination on the way home, nobody greeted her at Slough station to help her disembark.

Burnham is not a step-free access station, whereas Slough is, so staff encouraged her to get off the train there.

As no-one helped her off at Slough as requested – she had to continue to Burnham and said staff there were also “rude” and refused to help her to leave the train. Eventually she persuaded them to help her friend carry her chair.

She made a similar complaint of the Burnham staff on her way into London where they had refused to help her board. That was resolved with the help of a friend and a kind member of the public.

Staff at Burnham station were also “rude” and left her feeling humiliated as they initially refused to help her on the train heading into London, and again as she tried to get off the train on the return journey, before eventually she managed to persuade them to help her friend carry her chair.

The solicitor, who is able to walk short distances using a walking stick, said: “It was hugely embarrassing. It has set me back. The whole experience I was sat on the train thinking what if I cannot get off?

“When I got to Slough I was sat in my mobility scooter at the exit waiting for someone to help me but they didn’t come. What would happen if that happened at Burnham?

“I was so stressed and worried that I would be stuck on the train and not able to get off.”

She added: “For someone who is recently disabled I have come into contact with people who are overly helpful and it is really humbling in how nice the British public are.

“I have had two instances where it has really knocked me back and this is by far the worst experience I have had. I am frightened to go out on my own now.”

A GWR spokesman said: “We’re really sorry Nichola had a bad experience travelling with us, this did fall short of the standards we set to provide for our customers.

“Although two thirds of our stations have step free access, this isn’t always possible. We should have provided suitable transport, free of charge, for Nichola to the nearest station with step free access, at the start and end of her journey.”