Mother angry after nightmare journey

A WHEELCHAIR-user who was refused entry to a train because she was unable to stand was today demanding answers from train operator 'one'.

Debbie Farrow had not been expecting any problems when she arrived at Cambridge Station to get the train back to Felixstowe after a fun day out.

However the 5.45pm single-carriage train to Ipswich was packed with people and after contacting the train's conductor Ms Farrow, who was with her partner and two sons, was told they would only be allowed on if she could stand up as there were no more seats.

She said: “It made me feel like I was being pushed to the side; like a second-class citizen. I think it is discrimination against disabled people.

“They told me I had to stand but I couldn't stand because I've been in a wheelchair for seven years.

“I was fuming. I then had to wait another hour for the next train. They didn't offer me anything to drink or somewhere warm to wait.”

Ms Farrow eventually got to her home in Selvale Way, Felixstowe, at about 9.30pm when she had been expecting to get there around 8.15pm. And she said the experience had left her, her partner Alan Newman, and her sons, ten-year-old Raymond and 18-year-old Simon very upset.

She added: “My ten-year-old was crying. It was a horrid experience and no one was apologetic.

“If I'd have been on my own I'd have been really nervous and I'm worried it might happen to a child in a wheelchair now.”

Ms Farrow, who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis and an acute form of asthma, said she would be complaining to 'one', which operates the Cambridge to Ipswich route, about her treatment.

A spokeswoman for 'one' said the company was sorry about the inconvenience caused and would be looking into the issues raised.

She said: “We are sorry that Ms Farrow felt her day out was spoiled by problems on the return journey. We will look into how the situation was handled and try to ensure this kind of situation does not arise again in the future.”

Have you had a similar experience? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.