Disabled Scot left outside in cold after 'disgraceful' mix-up with train ramp

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A disabled Scot was left outside in the cold for over an hour in his wheelchair after a 'disgraceful' mix-up with a ramp prevented him from getting on a train.

John McKinlay, who has cerebral palsy, says that - despite pre-booking a wheelchair ramp 24 hours earlier - he was unable to get assistance onto a ScotRail train last Saturday evening.The 52-year-old, who had been enjoying a Christmas pantomime in Beith with Garnock Valley Disability Group, reserved a taxi from Beith Community Centre to Kilwinning Railway Station so that he could be in time for the 5:18pm train leaving for Largs.John could not find any staff to help him with the wheelchair ramp when the train arrived, and he was left stranded on the platform.

ScotRail attempted to book John a taxi home - but said the busy festive period made this impossible.John, of Largs, said: "I'm a wheelchair user and use the train quite often.

Kilwinning is staffed but they have no ramps now because they took them away so it's the train staff on board that have to help you on now."On this occasion there was no staff on the train either, so I had no choice but to get the next train.