A POLITICIAN has called for immediate action to decide the future of the Station Hotel after the damning final report was published.

Brian Whittle is concerned that state of the crumbled building could worsen over winter and lead to communities south of Ayr being “cut off”.

The final report revealed that the repair bill would cost £10 million and the South Scotland MSP wants a swift response from council chiefs.

Mr Whittle fears the mounting costs to the taxpayer remain unanswered after the “long delayed” report.

He said: “I’m glad the full report into the Station Hotel has finally been published and shows the full scale of the challenges facing the building. After waiting so long for the report, it’s more important than ever that progress accelerates now.

“The scaffolding and plastic wrap may have bought the building some time but it’s only a stop-gap, and an expensive one at that. This whole saga has already cost the taxpayer well over £1 million and with the future of the building still in doubt, that number is only going to get larger.

“Communities along the railway line, particularly those south of Ayr, need to have some certainty about what’s going to happen. A repeat of the severe disruption, which closed the line this time last year, cannot be allowed to happen.

“If a new owner can be found for the building, then I’m all for that, but only if they can prove that they have the funds to make the necessary repairs, and quickly. If that isn’t the case, then all other options have to be considered.

“The future of the Station Hotel has been, quite literally, hanging over the heads of rail travellers for long enough.”