Full rail service to resume at Ayr Train Station

Train services at Ayr Station are to return to normal after months of disruption due to an unsafe building.

An exclusion zone was put in place in August following concerns about the safety of the old, adjoining Station Hotel.

The move led to a challenging time for passengers, with cancellations and alterations to services between Glasgow Central and Ayr, Girvan, Stranraer and Kilmarnock.

The ScotRail Alliance said the necessary work to contain the unsafe structure has now been successfully completed by South Ayrshire Council.

As a result, the train operator said it can now access Ayr Townhead Depot and begin to operate trains through the station safely.

A full service is expected to return on Thursday 20th December, the ScotRail Alliance said.

The body's sustainability and safety assurance director David Lister said: "We know it has been a challenging time for our customers, so we are really pleased to be able to restore a full service at Ayr.

"South Ayrshire Council, colleagues at ScotRail and Network Rail, and our taskforce partners have done fantastically well to get all services to and from Ayr back to normal in what was an extremely challenging situation.''

The temporary station facilities and ticket office will remain in place.

Bill Reeve, chair of the Ayr Station Taskforce Group, said: "This is welcome news for passengers and the business communities in and around Ayrshire, who can now enjoy the full restoration of longer trains between the town and Glasgow Central, as well as fully restored services to Girvan and Stranraer.

"We'd like to thank passengers for their patience during this challenging time, as well as the partners within the taskforce for their commitment to finding a safe solution as quickly as possible."