A RAIL company has defended a change to parking at Rayleigh station.

Greater Anglia said in response to customer feedback it has moved the 20- minute parking bays into the main car park and replaced the spaces at the front of the station with disabled parking.

A Greater Anglia spokesperson said: “In response to customer feedback, we have relocated our disabled parking bays, at Rayleigh, closer to the station entrance to assist our disabled customers.

“The same number of 20- minute parking bays exist, though these have been re-situated in the main station car park.

“There is still the opportunity for passengers to be collected or dropped off outside the station entrance.”

The change was criticised by Rayleigh resident Alan Davison in a letter in yesterday’s Echo.

He said the drop-off points were convenient for meeting passengers with heavy luggage. He said spaces were also used for passengers buying tickets for the next day travel.

Mr Davison, of Lower Lambricks, said: “While it is a good idea to give some priority provision to the disabled, obviously Greater Anglia has not the slightest regard for the vast majority of other people using – or trying to use – their stations.”