A "third world" railway station where passengers are too embarrassed to take friends and relatives has been revealed as Britain's most unpopular.

Only 58 per cent of passengers said they were “satisfied” with Glasgow Queen Street, according to a survey conducted by the independent rail watchdog Transport Focus.

The survey was conducted between September and November last year, shortly after a £100 million modernisation project began at the city centre terminal.

Passenger Cameron MacIntosh, 32, a sales adviser from Stirling, said: "The station is an absolute bomb site at the moment. It really looks like a place from the third world. I try and avoid it."

John McInnes, a 46-year-old technician from Cumbernauld, commented: "I hope they are going to finish it because it looks a disaster just now.

"It's embarrassing bringing friends or relations here. They can't believe the mess of the place."