Halesworth Railway Station’s damp costs to cost £15k to resolve
East Suffolk Line (stock image)
The owner of a railway station in east Suffolk is being called on to spend thousands of pounds to resolve long-standing problems caused by damp.
Halesworth Town Council revealed some of the findings of its station “damp survey” at a meeting on Monday, when it was estimated the cost of resolving the problem would be around £15,000.
The council leases the station from Network Rail and members discussing the issue felt the cost of carrying out structural repairs should not fall on it as tenants.
Acting clerk Nick Rees told the council he was seeking “to pursue Network Rail or Abellio Greater Anglia to try to get them to do something about the damp problem”.
“To resolve the problem is estimated to cost around £15,000, which is way beyond what the council should be liable for,” he added.
Maureen Took said the problem arises from the station platform being at ground level.
Mr Rees said: “It’s beyond anything that the town council should be liable for because it’s the structure of the build that’s defective.”
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A Network Rail spokesperson, speaking after the meeting, said: “The parish council should get in touch with us and we would be happy to discuss any concerns they have.”
The council also discussed redecorating the station, which would be paid for out of its own budget.
Letitia Smith, who was chairing the meeting in the absence of the council chairman Annette Dunning, said it had been 15 years since the station had last been redecorated.
Mr Rees added that the council was supposed to redecorate the station every five years, meaning it was well overdue.
Three quotes were presented for the work to be carried out, ranging in cost from £2,600 to £3,500.
Paul Widdowson said he was surprised by the variation in the quotes provided.
Nat Bocking recommended the second cheapest quote, as the company tendering had also carried out work for Wenhaston Primary School, which he said had been completed to a high standard.
He also called for the council to check whether companies tendering for contracts paid their employees the living wage, which is £7.85 per hour.
