CONFUSION surrounds the possibility of a car park at a busy railway station being extended.

Calls have repeatedly been made for improvement and extension works to be carried out at Dunbar Railway Station.

Last year, Councillor Norman Hampshire, leader of East Lothian Council and a representative for the Dunbar and East Linton ward, told members of Dunbar Community Council that the scheme was progressing.

However, when the issue was highlighted at the East Lothian Council Rail Forum, which was attended by representatives of the local authority and Network Rail last month, Network Rail stressed that, while its was supportive of the idea, there was “no funding” in place for the work to take place.

Following the meeting, Mr Hampshire questioned whether Network Rail was “moving their position” and that “information given to us” suggested that funding had previously been found.

He said: “I have raised it with them that I think the way they were using the station yard, they had it like a tip.

“It was a mess and people coming off the train and looking at that area – it was a mess.

“They have done some work tidying it up but we need the car park established.

“It is busy and Countess Road is starting to get busier again.

“It had got quieter due to Covid but it is getting busier again.”

Currently, the car park, which is the only one at a station in East Lothian where people are charged to park, has 76 spaces.

Discussions between the council and Network Rail have been ongoing for a number of years, with drawings produced to extend the car park in 2019.

The East Coast Main Line connects Dunbar to both Edinburgh and stations on the line south to London Kings Cross, and the surrounding streets are often lined with cars parked while drivers use the trains.

Mr Hampshire noted that people had also been in touch with him about the condition of Station Road, which East Lothian Council claims is managed by ScotRail.

The councillor said: “Residents are complaining about the state of the condition it is in.

“The council has been in touch with Network Rail and ScotRail and both are saying it is the council’s road.

“The road is not adopted and either Network Rail or ScotRail are charging people parking on it.

“It is one of them, definitely, who owns it and nobody wants to take responsibility.”

Speaking following the community council meeting last year, Pippa Swan, chairwoman of the community council, was delighted that progress appeared to be being made on the extension to the car park.

She said at that time: “At the previous meeting, Norman and I were both prepared to go push the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland to unlock the funding.

“That is what we had been told was the problem.

“I am absolutely delighted the funding appears to have been found and it looks like we are going to get the car park and, if I understood correctly, the cycle parking at the southern platform.”