A TRAIN station waiting room has been demolished by Network Rail after ‘falling into disrepair’.

Works have been carried out on the ‘dilapidated building’ on the Warrington-bound platform of Padgate Station in recent weeks.

Network Rail says the decision to bulldoze the structure – which has been ‘disused for some time’ – was taken ‘before it deteriorates any further’ and ‘in order to keep station users safe’.

A spokesman told the Warrington Guardian: “We’ve carefully looked at options to repurpose the long-forgotten former waiting room at Padgate Station.

“Unfortunately, as it’s fallen into a state of disrepair, the best use of taxpayers’ money and safest thing to do for passengers is to demolish the building before it deteriorates any further.”

The demolition was carried out without Warrington Borough Council having granted planning permission beforehand.

A council spokesman added: “We were not aware of any work taking place at Padgate Station recently and we haven’t received a planning application for works to demolish a waiting room.

“However, in some cases demolition can be carried out without the need to apply to us for permission.”