‘Human error’ leaves blind man at wrong train station

Under-fire Federal Railways (ÖBB) has apologised to a blind passenger after the man was wandering around an empty station due to misinformation about a train schedule.Roland Spöttling – a well-known singer who lost his eyesight aged five – was told that the regional train he was on at the weekend would stop in Niederkreuzstetten, Lower Austria. The train however passed that station. Initially assuming he was at the right destination, Spöttling exited at the next stop. Being the only passenger to leave the train there, it took the football enthusiast some time to realise he was wrong.Spöttling – whose Twitter account has a large following – was eventually picked up by a friend after having endured subzero temperatures. A spokesman for ÖBB said today (Tues) “human failure” was the reason for the unfortunate incident.ÖBB has been harshly criticised by various sides of the political spectrum and passenger pressure groups over a variety of issues. The company has especially been attacked for its high debts of around 16 billion Euros which are set to soar in the coming years, according to reports. The state-funded railway operator is also in hot water since it emerged that its staff retire at an average age of 52.