In response, the authority responsible for the United Kingdom’s railway network said maintenance staff will assess the areas of complaint and decide on what action to take.

One resident said he had written to Mark Carne, CEO of Network Rail, a number of times to complain about the mess.

He told the Reporter traffic cones, assorted mess, and litter has built up along the track lines and surrounding area – and residents are worried about potential safety risks and the state of the train station as a whole.

The Dumbarton man, who asked not to be named, said: “To be honest, I’ve noticed the mess for several months, from summer 2014. I sent the first email in December and I spoke to the PA to the CEO and was assured they would assign a maintanence team.

“It’s been several weeks now and its still there, and I’ve heard nothing. Before that I sent two letters to the CEO via recorded delivery. So they can’t say I haven’t been trying.

“It’s an environmental issue, the last thing that train passengers need is an impression that the place is dirty. We’re nearing Grade D in terms of litter. Driving through our stations, for some people this is the only impression that we will make.

“It’s simply saying we don’t take pride in the town where we live, and neither does Network Rail. At the moment, the situation can be changed easily but they’re ignoring my queries.” Network Rail is among the six main duty bodies listed under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 who have a legal duty to keep their land clear of litter and refuse as much as possible.

A spokesman for Network Rail told the Reporter although they did not have a record of any letters, maintenance staff are looking into issues regarding two rail stations.

He said: “The chief exec’s office have no record of a letter from any concerned residents, but did receive emails from him on January 27 regarding Dalmuir and Dumbarton East stations.

“A resident has also separately contacted our helpline to raise the matter.

“The inquiry has been passed to our maintenance staff, who will assess the areas and decide on any further action required.”