Elderly train passengers have been faced with uncomfortable waiting times after seats were removed from platforms at Twickenham station.

The seats were temporarily removed as part of resurfacing work at platform-level, part of the regeneration project ahead of the Rugby World Cup 2015.

Councillor Martin Elengorn, Liberal Democrat spokesman for environment, said the lack of facilities was causing people to have to sit on the steps of the newly-built bridge instead, with elderly travellers facing huge inconvenience. 

He said: “The Richmond end of the platforms are unaffected by the works yet they have been cleared of all seating, so there is nowhere for passengers to sit.

“This is a particular inconvenience for the elderly who have to resort, as I did, to sitting on the bottom of the stairs.

“There are also no toilets or cafe on the platforms now.”

A Network Rail spokesman said it had to take out the existing platform furniture in order to carry out the resurfacing of platforms.

The spokesman said: “We realise the lack of seating is not ideal and we will get seats put back in as soon as we can.”

He added that until the new seats are delivered, old seats will be taken out of storage and put in place for next week.

The final weekend of night works was completed at the station last week, with further evening works to come in November.