‘Crumbling’ hotel danger forces closure of rail station
GLASGOW rail passengers face major disruption after an exclusion zone was set up at a station due to an unsafe building.
The exclusion zone set up earlier in the year around the former Station Hotel, in Ayr, was extended after contractors found crumbling and exposed roof areas at the building.
Councillors said the problems “present a significant and immediate danger to people and places around the station” and extended the exclusion zone around the area.
ScotRail said the restrictions will have an impact on several services from the city and apologised to customers.
There are no trains running between Ayr and Girvan from Tuesday, while services between Glasgow Central and Stranraer will start and terminate at Kilmarnock.
The company said services between Ayr and Glasgow Central will have reduced capacity because of the restrictions.
ScotRail said: “We are sorry to our customers for any inconvenience caused by this situation which is outwith our control.
“We are working flat out to get people where they need to be.”
South Ayrshire Council issued a Dangerous Buildings Notice to the hotel owners on March 28 and set up an exclusion zone around the building in the summer.
The B-listed hotel, which dates to 1885, was built by the Glasgow and South-Western Railway Company, according to the Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland on which it is listed.
South Ayrshire Council said it is working closely with Network Rail and ScotRail as the “urgent action” progresses to address the dangers presented by the hotel.
Eileen Howat, chief executive of South Ayrshire Council, said: “Our priority right now is to continue to work with Network Rail and ScotRail to keep their passengers, staff and the public safe, before continuing discussions regarding the next steps that need to be taken to address the dangers of the Station Hotel building.”