Bridgend station's disabled access gate is being looked at

Mrs Moon took action after a wheelchair-user complained about having to give the station 24-hours notice.

A disabled access gate is locked and passengers are asked to notify staff for it to be opened for them.

Arriva Trains said disabled passengers were being asked to give notice to ensure the gate was opened in advance.

Mrs Moon said she was alarmed to hear from disabled constituents that they were being asked to contact the station a day ahead of their journey so that access could be made available and she raised the problem in the House of Commons.

The gate has an intercom system attached to it

"They (disabled constituents) have to plan their journey at least 24 hours in advance so that they can access the platform without going over horrendous sets of steps," she said.

"The railway station insists that it must be given a minimum of 24 hours' notice to open a side gate to give people access to the London and Cardiff-bound platform.

"This clearly does not allow people to get a train to these cities for a spot of shopping or other leisure activity or even to go to London to see their member of parliament spontaneously, " said th MP.

"It's something which every other person in the area is able to do, this should be the prerogative of every person not the disadvantage of a section of our society."

Derek Twigg MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, told Mrs Moon that it was something he would personally look into, adding that a �370m access-for-all programme to improve disabled access at stations was under way across the UK .

But Arriva Trains, which run Bridgend Station, said that the 24-hour notice is not a requirement for disabled passenger to gain access, but simply to ensure that the gate is opened in advance.

Platform two takes passengers heading to London

Claire Loveday from Arriva Trains Wales, said: "Customers unable to use the footbridge at Bridgend Station may access platform two using a gate at the rear of the station which is fitted with an intercom release system.

"We encourage customers unable to use the footbridge or who require assistance to contact our 'Journey Care Line', ideally 24 hours before travelling, so that we can ensure that the access gate is open in advance.

Staff at the station told the BBC news website, that if someone needed access through the gate urgently, an intercom system allowed workers to open and close the gate remotely.

But Alun Thomas from the Disability Rights Commission said disabled travellers were being penalised.

"This sort of thing is happening across Wales - I know of one place where a lift was not repaired when it broke down because of vandals.