Frustrated campaigners are in despair after a five-year battle to revamp a train station.

The group of residents have been fighting to get South West Trains to repaint, refurbish and regularly clean and maintain New Malden station, which they said is dirty and dangerous.

Campaigner Christopher Coke said the station used to be swept daily and deep cleaned regularly but since one of two members of staff were removed from the station in 2009, it had fallen into disrepair.

He said: "There’s now only one person who does six stations in a day. He’s very obliging but his sole job is to pick litter up, it’s not enough."

The desperate residents said they have complained to SWT on a number of occasions over the years but have seen no action taken.

Campaigner and former councillor Mary Clark said: "The whole station is an absolute embarrassment.

"They (SWT) spent all this money doing the new gates which look really nice but the rest is disgusting.

"It’s so antiquated, it’s an absolute shack."

Gwenda Loyd, 81, said: "We host teachers from abroad and students and I am ashamed when they arrive. I am really ashamed.

"The waiting room is nearly always shut, the loos are disgusting and there’s nowhere to help disabled people to get up the stairs or come down."

A spokesperson for South West Trains said the station is cleaned daily by a member of staff who is also responsible for Berrylands, Thames Ditton and Hampton Court stations.

The spokesman said New Malden station was due to be repainted by April 2013 and by the end of the same year a new lift should be installed, with full access to disabled passengers.