A SENIOR manager with Central Trains was left stranded at Hereford station after the late train was cancelled in last week's bad weather.

Mark Haslam, an engineering strategy manager for Central, was travelling with another Malvern man Richard Putley on a visit to the city for a meeting last Wednesday evening (February 28).

Despite the day's snowfall, the two got to Hereford safely on the 7.01pm from Great Malvern, but it was on the return journey that things went wrong.

Mr Putley and Mr Haslam hoped to catch the 10.30pm service back to Malvern, but when they got to the station, there was no sign of the train and the monitor screens, meant to convey travel information, were blank. No-one at the station, which is operated by Arriva Trains Wales could provide information, since it is unstaffed after 10pm.

Mr Putley said: "Mr Haslam eventually managed to contact the signaller at Worcester Shrub Hill who told him the 22.40 had been cancelled.

"But there was no-one on hand at Hereford to confirm this, nor had any alternative transport been provided. As a result, we had to pay £48 for a taxi back to Malvern."

Mr Haslam said: "It's a little bit embarrassing, because I didn't have my mobile phone which had all my contact numbers on it.

"I have raised the matter with Arriva Trains Wales. They need to have contingency plans in place for this sort of thing."

Jonathan Radley, of Thames Trains, said the service had been terminated at Worcester Shrub Hill earlier that evening because of the wintry weather.

Arriva Trains Wales said Mr Putley should contact its customer service department.

The Malvern Gazette & Ledbury Reporter has arranged a public meeting to discuss rail services between Worcester and Hereford at Malvern Girls' College on Wednesday February 25, at 7.30pm.