A campaigner for the blind has criticised Southend's new bus station, saying it is inadequate and inaccessible to blind and partially-sighted people.

Jill Allen-King, Southend branch secretary of the National Federation of the Blind, also attacked Southend Council's lack of consultation over the scheme.

She said: "Even people with some vision are unable to see where the doors are.

"There are no buttons to open them and the doors do not open automatically when the bus arrives."

She said this meant blind people were having to wait outside, sometimes in the wind or rain, to ensure they caught the right bus.

Mrs Allen-King said: "It seems the information desk is never open and our members have to rely on other passengers to give them assistance."

In a letter to council chief executive Rob Tinlin, Mrs Allen-King said: "Our branch would like to know what steps the council is going to take to make this travel centre an accessible building which can be used safely by all its passengers."

David Garston, executive Southend responsible for the bus station, said: "As far as I am concerned, the travel centre is in its early days. It has had teething troubles.

"The doors are one of the problems, but there are new doors on order. We want to get it up and running and working really well.

"It's got a lot going for it and I'm sorry it is having teething problems."