A YOUNG disability rights campaigner from Hereford has spoken out over a lack of disabled provision on a Transport for Wales train.

Cameron Wood was travelling from Hereford to Cardiff on Friday, July 8 when he was forced to sit by the train doors in his wheelchair because of a lack of accessible seating.

He said Transport for Wales staff told him that was the only space available due to a lack of available wheelchair bays.

He added that a folded up wheelchair and a folded up pushchair were taking up the spaces.

OTHER NEWS:

Mr Wood said: "It felt like a rollercoaster. It wasn't a nice experience."

Mr Wood was again forced to sit by the doors on a train from Newport to Hereford on Saturday July 16, because something was blocking the walkway from the doors into the wheelchair accessible areas.

He said: "As a wheelchair user, trains are a lifeline for me, and the fact I was told by station staff that I had to sit by the train doors is very upsetting."

A spokesperson for Transport for Wales said that looking after its customers' safety was its number one priority.

It said it would investigate as to why the area by the door was utilised in this instance.

Mr Wood wrote a letter to the secretary of state for transport Grant Shapps MP asking for guidance to be issued to all train companies.

He said that those with mobility issues should not be told to sit at train doors because it can make them unstable and could be dangerous.

Mr Wood said: "I am calling for regular announcements to be made on train services reminding passengers that the wheelchair spaces are not for luggage or pushchairs if they can be folded up.

"It has put me off using the railway network. I don't want to ever have to experience this again."