Ayrshire rail travellers face more disruption

There's more disruption to the busy rail link between Ayrshire and Glasgow because of safety concerns at the crumbling Station Hotel building in Ayr.

Scotrail says South Ayrshire Council has extended the exclusion zone around it which means they're having to operate a reduced service to Glasgow Central and unable to run any services south of Ayr towards Stranraer.

Trains to Glasgow we be formed with fewer carriages, cutting capacity and Scotrail says the restrictions mean trains are also unable to reach their depot for servicing.

The local authority says its had to take the action as the roof poses a "significant and immediate danger" to those around the station.

Chief Executive Eileen Howat said: "This is not action that anyone is taking lightly, but is wholly designed to keep people safe, and not put them at risk as a result of the failure of the private owner of the building to address the safety concerns we have highlighted time and time again.

"Network Rail and ScotRail have been fully involved in the discussions about this and – as a result – a reduced service will be operating between Glasgow Central and Ayr, supported by rail replacement buses.

"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.

There has been disruption at the station for months, something the Managing Director Alex Hynes addressed when he appeared on Scotland's Talk In on Sunday morning on Westsound

"This building is dangerous so we've have to change the way we operate the station to make sure our staff and customers are safe."

"We need to make sure that no matter what happens with that building we need to continue to operate the station so Ayr can continue to benefit from it's rail service."

• station hotel
• Ayr
• scotrail