COMMUTERS in Musselburgh are facing fresh woe as a sudden surge in vehicles at Musselburgh Railway Station’s car park has left many unable to get a space there.

The problems were highlighted at a meeting of Musselburgh and Inveresk Community Council, where member John Reid said cars were parking on double yellow lines on the road into the car park, adding that he witnessed a near crash while standing on the platform.

“One car was coming up [the road] at some speed and another coming down at some speed,” he said, adding that there was only space for one car at a time because of the parked vehicles.

He also raised concerns that students going to nearby Queen Margaret University could be parking their vehicles at the station car park, which already did not have enough capacity for rail passengers.

Musselburgh commuters have for several years faced fighting their way onto overcrowded trains at the station at peak times, and on a number of occasions trains have been too full for them to board.

Community council chairwoman Irene Tait told the meeting: “It stops people going there during the day to have a day in Edinburgh because they can’t get parked there anyway.”

She agreed to contact Queen Margaret University to make students aware of the parking issues.

The problems have also been highlighted by other car park users, who say the car park has got busier than usual over the past few weeks, with the facility full by 8.15am which was not previously the case.

The station car park is open 24 hours and is free to use. ScotRail has said there are no immediate plans to expand the car park.

A spokesman for ScotRail said: “All of our car parks operate on a first come first served basis and can get very busy during peak periods. We are sorry to our customers for the inconvenience when they are not able to park at the station.”

A spokeswoman for Queen Margaret University commented: “Queen Margaret University has made great efforts to communicate to students that parking at Musselburgh railway station is for the benefit of commuters and that the parking needs of neighbours in the area surrounding the campus must be respected.

“Additionally, QMU regularly promotes the alternative transport options for travelling to the university which are detailed on the QMU website and in the university’s green travel plan strategy. We have actively engaged with British Transport Police and will be supporting measures to encourage responsible and appropriate use of the facilities in the coming weeks.”

A spokesperson for East Lothian Council, which now enforces parking regulations in the county, said: “The car park and access road are the responsibility of ScotRail. We are aware of issues in the area and are currently discussing this with them.”