Heavily pregnant woman's fury as commuters 'refuse to give up seats on two hour train journey'

Standing room only: Passengers line the aisles amid disruption on Wednesday morning
Sebastian Mann18 May 2016

A heavily pregnant woman today claimed "selfish" commuters forced her to stand for nearly two hours amid rush hour chaos during a train strike.

The 31-year-old, who is eight months pregnant, blasted her fellow passengers as she was left without a seat for almost all of her commute from Crawley to London Bridge.

She alleged that even after asking passengers for a seat on the packed train they remained unmoved - despite her "massive bump".

The woman, who works in marketing and asked only to be named as Lauren, said the strike action affecting Southern Rail services today made matters worse.

She told the Evening Standard she first had to stand on a Thameslink train to East Croydon, where she changed for a train to London Bridge on which she still couldn't get a seat.

She said: “I got on a Thameslink train first. That was packed. People don’t like to make eye contact. Everyone just looks down.

“I then changed at East Croydon and got on the train to London Bridge. It’s not a long journey but when you’re 31 weeks pregnant it’s knackering.

“It was rammed. People don’t care – or don’t look.

“Eventually I asked the carriage: ‘Would anybody be able to give me their seat?’ but the response was silence.”

Lauren said she only found a seat six minutes from London Bridge when a "gent" noticed her situation and stood up for her.

It meant she had been on her feet for almost all of her two-hour long journey, she said.

According to Lauren, passengers on the London Underground nearly always give up their seats even though she doesn’t wear a “baby on board” badge.

And she said she believed today’s strike made things “dramatically” worse, adding: “I shouldn’t need to explain the situation. I have a massive bump.

“I shouldn’t need a badge.

“I’m five foot three and I have a massive bump sticking out.

“Obviously everyone is pushing and shoving. I appreciate everyone’s trying to get to work – I’ve been commuting for years.

“But just a bit of consideration would be nice.”

Southern runs a priority seat card scheme for passengers less able to stand, which the operator suggested over Twitter Lauren could apply for.

The rail firm says it provides assurances to commuters that the person asking for your seat has a "genuine need" - and makes it less awkward for the individual who has to ask.

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