Multi-million pound scheme to build new toilets at Harborough railway station has been delayed again

A multi-million pound scheme to build new toilets at Market Harborough railway station has been delayed again.

The controversial blueprint to upgrade the town’s busy transport hub for thousands of commuters and passengers was due to be completed by the end of this month.

But Network Rail, which looks after and maintains the UK’s railway infrastructure, has now admitted that it has been put back by at least a month.

The giant rail operator is blaming a “number of factors”, including bad weather, for the fact that the new facilities won’t be opened until the end of June.

That will be a “mind-boggling” three years since passengers were forced to start using temporary loos at the front of the station in the middle of 2019.

And district councillor Phil Knowles told the Harborough Mail today: “This is totally unacceptable.

“This new setback is just the latest in an astonishing number of delays that have impacted on the total scheme at Market Harborough railway station.

“There will be a whole army of disappointed residents and rail users who like me will feel that the message we should be giving to the rail authorities is simple and straightforward,” said Cllr Knowles, the Harborough district councillor for Great Bowden and Arden.

“It’s incredible that we’ve had to wait three long years.

“This appalling state of affairs reflects very poorly on Market Harborough, not just our railway station,” said the district council Liberal Democrat chief.

“Enough is enough, we don’t want any more delays, just get this project completed and over the line.

“Our long-suffering community has waited long enough.”

Gary Walsh, East Midlands Route Director for Network Rail, told us: “Passengers will have seen that the new toilet block and waiting room at Market Harborough station is really coming to life, but we’re sorry it’s taking longer than planned.

“A number of factors, including poor weather conditions, have impacted our progress and despite our teams’ best efforts, we haven’t been able to make up the lost time,” admitted Mr Walsh.

“I’d like to thank people for their continued patience and look forward to delivering better facilities for passengers by the end of June.”