The Caledonian Sleeper has insisted women are safe in its same-sex two-berth cabins after saying men who self-identity as females could use them.

The train company sparked concern website announced that people who said they were transgender could take a women-only berth.

Some people, including on social media, saw the move as part of an erosion of safe spaces for women.

One passenger tweeted: "I shouldn't have to say this, but this is not trans bashing. This is worry about predatory males and the lengths they will go to, in order to gain access to women."

However, Rupert Soames, the chief executive of Servo, the firm which runs the Sleeper, said on-board staff would ensure safety.

The grandson of Winston Churchill replied on Twitter "I think you are referring to the possibility that people may say they are a woman when in fact they are a man. - Sigh - . Fortunately people who travel on the CalSleeper are not deceitful."

He added: "CalSleeper staff are very attentive and watchful; all cabins have call buttons; if a single woman was uncomfortable with the other person they would be moved to another cabin. This has never to my knowledge been a problem in the past."