NETWORK Rail will have to fork out £724,000 in compensation for disruption caused by the Ayr station hotel.

The publicly owned organisation have been responsible for costs involving scaffolding, surveys and emergency repair work for the railway not being available. The figure also includes administrative costs.

The six figure sum covers costs between August 27 and November 9, so even more compensation is likely to be due at the expense of the taxpayer. However, only up to December 20 can be claimed as this was when full services resumed.

Scotrail will be in receipt of the £724,000 plus but Network Rail have advised that other companies may also be entitled to claim for the disruptions that lasted several months. A spokesperson advised that it "incurred other costs" while the railway was not in action.

Network Rail provide compensation on a per train/per mile basis to Scotrail when trains can’t use the track due to engineering work or other issues.

Meanwhile, South Scotland MSP Brian Whittle has called for the building owner of the station hotel to cover these costs as they have burdened the public. Mr Whittle said: “On top of all the disruption caused by the temporary exclusion zone, now it looks like taxpayers are in danger of having to foot a huge bill.

"It’s only right that we do everything possible to ensure the public aren’t left footing the bill for any more of this than they have to. This is a privately owned building and its owner should bear responsibility for the chaos caused by their failure to maintain it appropriately.

"With work still going on and the structural survey yet to report, I’m worried we might just be seeing the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the final cost of dealing with the station hotel building.”