TWO meetings looking at plans to build a second platform at Dunbar’s railway station take place over the next fortnight.

Network Rail is holding the drop-in sessions in the town to gather the public’s views on the proposals, with a second platform and bridge over the railway line potentially in place within three years.

Preliminary works were carried out at land at the railway station in 2015.

Now, the community drop-in events will offer more information on the scheme.

A spokeswoman for Network Rail said: “The community drop-ins will have project staff on-hand to answer any questions members of the public may have. There will also be artist impressions, drawings and information leaflets.”

The first drop-in takes place on Wednesday at the Bleachingfield Centre on nearby Countess Crescent, between 3.30pm and 7pm.

A second event is planned for the waiting room at the station on April 25 between the same times.

Work on the second platform, which would be south of the railway line and beside Salisbury Walk, could be carried out as quickly as spring 2019.

Planning permission would be required but, if it got the go-ahead, work could be complete by spring 2020.

The Network Rail spokeswoman added: “The new platform will provide additional capacity, improved operational flexibility and support a potential journey time improvement for some northbound services on the East Coast Main Line.

“The proposals are at an early stage; all timescales are indicative and subject to change.

“This year we will be carrying out surveying and investigative works to assess ground conditions.

“We hope to appoint a contractor next year before carrying out additional surveying works and developing a more detailed design.

“The works to create the new platform are likely to commence in spring 2019 and be completed in spring 2020.”

A footbridge linking the two platforms would also be created.

At the same time, talks have taken place which would see Network Rail extend the existing car park at the station. Currently, the station caters for about 50 vehicles but this figure could more than double under the plans.

The additional car parking spaces could then ease pressure on surrounding streets, as well as nearby car parks, such as Abbeylands, off the town’s High Street.