Good old Baroness Grey-Thompson, or Tanni as she is better known, doesn’t have the best of luck when it comes to wheelchair travel on public transport. This time in the run up to Christmas Tanni was going about her day as per normal in her wheelchair when she needed to get on the train run by Virgin but was stopped by a passenger already on the train.

Tanni, who uses trains frequently in her wheelchair was trying to board the train when she was abruptly barred because she was in a wheelchair and that there was 'no room for her' even though everyone else on the platform managed to get on to the same train.

Two days before Christmas you have to wonder whatever happened to festive spirit and goodwill to all men but sure enough Baroness Grey-Thompson was left on the platform rather displeased and still in her wheelchair but going nowhere. Instead the Paralympian wheelchair racer who also is a parliamentarian and a television presenter simply kept her calm and tweeted “Merry Christmas to the person on the train who just stopped me getting on"

In a number of tweets that followed she explained that she was shocked beyond belief at the attitude of the passenger who effectively who blocked her from boarding the carriage.

So for those of you who also travel on Virgin below is the information on their policy for wheelchair users including a help line number:

Telephone:

08000 158 123 or Textphone 08000 158 124

Policy:

Length: 1200mm (3ft 11in approx)

Width: 700mm (2ft 3in approx)

So, there is no excuse now for anyone not to be a little more helpful towards wheelchair users on public transport. With Tani’s wheelchair racing back ground the fact is she could probably have got to her destination quicker in her racing wheelchair !