A concerned Brentwood borough councillor is calling for a disabled toilet and adjacent men's toilet at Shenfield railway station to be re-opened as soon as possible.

The toilets, on platform three, are closed due to a problem with the drains and confusion over who is responsible for fixing them - station owner Network Rail or its tenant, train operator First Great Eastern. Graffiti on a sign on the door of the disabled toilet says it has been closed for five months, and asks 'why'?

Now Cllr David Kendall, a campaigner for better public transport, has branded the lengthy closure "disgraceful" and is calling on Network Rail to install temporary toilets and mend the drains "as a matter of urgency."

He was speaking after Network Rail announced a £5million investment to renew the rail track between Shenfield and Chelmsford.

A spokeswoman for Network Rail said it is unclear at the moment whether the problem is due to a blockage or a more serious collapse of the drains.

If it is a blockage, it will be the responsibility of First Great Eastern to fix it, and if the drains have collapsed it will be up to Network Rail, as the owner of the station.

Published Monday January 5, 2004

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