Around 100 passengers were left stranded at Prestatyn railway station in freezing conditions without any idea how they would get home
Relieved passengers clapped their coach driver when he offered to take them from Prestatyn to Rhyl station(Image: David Berry)
Rail passengers have claimed they were left cold, confused and effectively “abandoned” after being diverted to a deserted station following major disruption. Families and elderly travellers were among an estimated 100 people who say they were stranded in freezing conditions at Prestatyn station, Denbighshire, with no staff, shelter or information on how they would complete their journeys.
The disruption unfolded on the evening of Wednesday, January 7, after a body was discovered on the tracks at Shotton station, Flintshire. Paramedics pronounced the individual dead at the scene and British Transport Police launched an investigation, bringing services between Chester and Holyhead to a halt.
Passengers booked on the 6.26pm service from Chester were initially told to wait for the next Avanti West Coast train. But with Holyhead-bound services suspended indefinitely.
Eddie Williams, who was en route to Bangor, Gwynedd, described it as the beginning of a “truly horrific experience”. Four buses supplied by Mold-based Keane’s Coaches transported the passengers to Prestatyn railway station, Denbighshire, , reports North Wales Live.
North Wales Main Line services were cancelled until further notice when a body was found at Shotton low level railway station(Image: Ian Cooper/North Wales Live)
Mr Williams, aged 81, said: “Passengers waited around for about an hour on a platform at Chester station, then we were told that buses would take us on to Prestatyn, where trains would be available.
“Some 100 passengers were then left to stand on the station platform at Prestatyn in freezing conditions for approximately one hour. There was no waiting room, no food or drink, and no railway or station staff whatsoever. A number of passengers were well over pension age.
“We telephoned various agencies including Transport for Wales, Avanti West Coast and Citizens Advice, only to be faced with automatic responses or engaged tones. Fearing some passengers would suffer hypothermia, I telephoned the 101 non-emergency number to be told by the ambulance service that as long as no one had actually collapsed, they did not need to respond. They advised contacting the police.”
Meanwhile, several travellers arranged taxis or contacted friends for collection. Fellow passenger David Berry noted that not everyone had such options, leaving numerous people “trapped” at Prestatyn station.
Prestatyn railway station lit up at night where passengers huddled for warmth(Image: Hadyn Iball/North Wales Live)
“We were told to get coaches yet we could have stayed warm in Chester,” he stated. “We were given no information and no support. There were no station staff at Prestatyn and no trains or warm areas.
“Apart from booking a taxi to Bangor we had no idea what to do. I gave up my seat in a taxi to an old gentleman who was shivering. TfW abandoned OAPs and families.”
After contacting the police, Mr Williams was provided with a crime reference number. At around 8.30pm, a coach driver named Keane arrived and invited the remaining passengers to board his bus for warmth while he sought a solution.
“Everyone clapped the driver,” Mr Berry recounted, “But not everyone could fit on the coach.” For the biggest stories in Wales first, sign up to our daily newsletter here
After approximately 20 minutes, the driver, Dan Keane, declared that he would transport the passengers to Rhyl station. Upon arrival, he committed to waiting for the train.
“He said he would wait, with his bus, until he had seen the train arrive, so that we would not again be stranded on a freezing platform,” Mr Williams explained. “The train arrived some 10 minutes later. Without question, the hero of the night was young Dan Keane.”
Mr Williams finally reached Bangor around 11.15pm, a delay of four hours, after a 16-hour journey from the USA to Euston, London.
He further commented: “The most dangerous and regrettable action was that of the authorities at Chester station, who arranged for about 100 passengers to be taken to a completely deserted station with no shelter from the wind and nothing to eat or drink.
“Presumably they knew that no trains would arrive there for some time. The situation could well have ended much more seriously. They should have kept us in Chester station, and offered us free tea/coffee.”
Passengers were invited to sit on a Keane’s coach so they could warm up(Image: David Berry)
Avanti West Coast organised its own rail replacement buses from Chester, but these didn’t turn up until approximately 9.30pm.
A TfW spokesperson stated: “Due to the emergency services dealing with an incident between Shotton and Chester, all train services on this route were disrupted.
“Limited road transport was available and, unfortunately, we were unable to get customers to their final destinations.
“We would like to apologise to those passengers travelling for the inconvenience this caused.”
Passengers whose journeys were delayed by 15 minutes or longer are entitled to claim compensation through the national Delay Repay scheme. For Avanti West Coast passengers, this can be accessed here. For TfW travellers, the Delay Repay portal is here.
