Rail bosses have been criticised for keeping vital emergency life-saving equipment in a locked cabinet.
A defibrillator used to treat casualties suffering cardiac arrest is located in the busy main entrance at Perth Railway Station but is kept under lock and key.
Experts say any delay in giving treatment can mean the difference between life and death, leading to fears that the arrangement could result in a fatality.
Local MSP Liz Smith urged ScotRail, which manages the site, to reconsider the arrangements.
She said: “Time is one of the most critical factors when someone suffers a heart attack. Getting help to them quickly can mean the difference between life and death.
“It is therefore troubling to note the concerns of the British Heart Foundation in relation to accessing the defibrillator at Perth Station.
“Obviously Perth station has a duty to ensure that the defibrillator is neither stolen nor vandalised but in locking it up so tightly they could render it useless in an emergency.
“Perth station must reconsider how it offers this service, failing to do so could result in those vital seconds ticking away whilst first aiders try to unlock the defibrillator box.”
Maureen Talbot, a senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, also expressed concerns.
She said: “There more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the UK every year, however fewer than one in 10 people survive.
“Every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by up to 10% so having the skills and confidence to perform CPR and knowing how to use a defibrillator is vital.
“Although, we appreciate that keeping this life-saving equipment secure may be important, evidence suggests that there has been minimal vandalism or theft of defibrillators in communities.
“Every second counts when someone is in cardiac arrest and placing a defibrillator in a locked or coded cabinet might cause a delay and could mean the difference between life and death.”
A spokeswoman for ScotRail said the defibrillator had been supplied to them in a locked box and that the keys are held in two locations, which are known to all staff.
She said: “All station staff have access to keys for the defibrillator’s box and we ensure that everyone knows the location of them so that the equipment can be ready for use as soon as it’s needed.”