Whitton station is due to be upgraded, subject to funding being confirmed, following complaints about the lack of disabled access, vandalism and overcrowding at the station.

Twickenham MP Vince Cable said he had been told in a meeting with the South West Trains’ managing director Tim Shoveller that the station, at the southern end of Whitton High Street, was fourth in line for improvements out of the train operator’s list of 184 stations.

“There is the prospect of steady improvements in reducing congestion on the train service and – with Waterloo International reopening – some more services as well as station development at Twickenham and Whitton, especially with the Rugby World Cup coming,” said Mr Cable.

The news came after a public meeting about the station, attended by transport minister Stephen Hammond last Saturday (April 12).

Nearly 100 people packed into St Phillip and St James Church Hall at the meeting, organised by Conservative Whitton ward councillor Gareth Elliott, to express their concerns about the state of the station, at which 1.3 million journeys begin or end each year.

Mr Hammond told those gathered that Richmond Council was aware of the problem and was keen to contribute towards the refurbishment.

“The financial involvement with SWT should mean there is no excuse for work to be unduly delayed,” he added.

Mr Elliott said further money might be available from the Rugby Football Union, which is meeting to discuss funding for community projects at the end of April. The paper contacted the RFU for a comment but had not received a response as it went to press.

SWT has already confirmed it plans to roll out 10 carriage trains to reduce overcrowding, and to use the old Eurostar platforms at Waterloo to provide more frequent services.

An SWT spokeswoman said it was working with partners to make improvements at the station but any work was subject to funding from the Department for Transport under its Access for All scheme.

Richmond Council has said it is working with SWT, Transport for London and Network Rail to push for an upgrade to the station and was talking to the RFU about the possibility of using leftover development funds from the building of Twickenham’s South Stand.