Rail staff at Lewisham Station have been subjected to abuse since the one-way system was put in place this week.

The new system, in place on weekdays from 6.30am to 9am, and 4.30pm to 7.30pm, is expected to increase passenger safety but is extremely unpopular with staff, a union spokesperson explained.

Speaking at a meeting held by Lewisham Station Users Group and attended by representatives from Lewisham Council, Network Rail, Southeastern and MPs Vicky Foxcroft and Janet Daby, Kim Shaughnessy, branch secretary for RMT said the move has put staff in the firing line against disgruntled passengers.

Sharing rail staff concerns following a meeting, she said: “Some of the things that arose was when one employee was encouraging the use of the one-way system he was threatened with being ‘f****d up’ and the person then came back in the evening to reiterate this as they were on a 12 hour shift.”

She said staff were put in “awkward positions” when disabled passengers needed to enter through an exit point.

“[They are also having to cope with] Angry disabled passengers who are having to justify themselves to gain access to that route,” she said.

“I can understand from the front-line staff that they have to make that call because not all disabilities are visible, but they shoundn’t be put in that awkward position and disabled passengers should not have to be in that awkward position either to justify their need for access,” she added.

She also said it was difficult for staff to monitor passenger safety when travelling through the station at certain points.

“We all know it is a woefully inadequate station. The implementation of the one-way system is extremely unpopular for staff,” she continued.

Deptford MP Vicky Foxcroft said passenger behaviour would be something she and the Lewisham Station Users Groups would work on changing.