An “intermittent fault” with New Malden station’s announcement system has left a blind woman stranded at unmanned stations and caused her to almost fall onto tracks.

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Jennifer Carpenter, of Malden Hill, said the station’s faltering loudspeakers have caused her frequently to board the wrong train over the past 14 weeks.

On one occasion she said she was left abandoned at the unmanned Berrylands station and, in trying to leave, almost stepped onto the railway.

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She said: “It was a platform I’d never been to in my life. Had I stepped forward I would have been on the tracks.

“I’ve done everything I can possibly do, we’ve spoken to guards on trains, to the station staff, we’ve spoken to everyone and nothing seems to be happening at all.

“If I can’t hear I don’t know what’s coming, in 14 weeks it’s just unacceptable.”

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South West Trains, which is responsible for the PA system in New Malden, could not confirm how long the equipment has been malfunctioning.

The rail provider, which is running a consultation into how to improve services until Tuesday, February 9, was criticised last week after it was discovered the company had apologised to customers on social media 650 times in one week.

A South West Trains spokeswoman said: “We’re sorry that some passengers at New Malden may have faced inconvenience as a result of an intermittent fault with the PA system.

“We do have engineers carrying out regular tests to identify the cause of the issue and to rectify it as quickly as possible.”

Mrs Carpenter fully lost her sight about two years ago and volunteers for Healthwatch Kingston. She is a former vice-chair of the Kingston Association for the Blind.

She said the current problems with the station announcements have caused her to stop travelling on her own.

New Malden councillor Raju Pandya said: “I feel this is just unfair, we are sending all these emails and complaints and concerns. Where do the priorities lie with vulnerable customers?

”Every other station is fine, why can’t we have a simple announcement like all the other stations have?”