Disabled passengers on Avanti trains say they have had to sit in toilets to get seat

One wheelchair user reported that pre-booked accessible spaces were filled with luggage and no staff were present

Disabled passengers travelling on Avanti services in the north of England say they are finding pre-booked accessible spaces filled with luggage and are having to resort to sitting in toilets while others are abandoning travelling on trains altogether.

Haydn Smith, 26, a wheelchair user, and Alex Winstanley, 30, his non-disabled business partner, boarded an Avanti service from Wigan to London Euston last month. He said as they boarded the train, an Avanti member of staff warned them they would struggle to get on".