ENGINEERS were due to attend Dawlish station following issues with the new lifts. 

Network Rail says there is a fault with the lifts which needs to be repaired. 

But there have been numerous sitings of a rough sleeper using the lift overnight. 

One of the station staff working at Dawlish yesterday said he had found the lift in a ‘very dirty state’ and had made cleaning it a ‘priority’. 

A train passenger has described being unable to use the station lift because there was a person ‘asleep or passed out’ across the wet floor alongside beer bottles. 

Another reported seeing a man, who was described as polite and friendly, who is homeless and regularly rests at the station. 

Other travellers reported both the app and the lifts themselves were out of order. 

And a passenger using trains at Dawlish over the weekend said each time they bought tickets online, the app said the lift was out of order. 

A Network Rail spokesman said: ‘Engineers will be attending Dawlish station (on Wednesday) to examine the lifts and they will be repaired as soon as possible. We are aware of unrelated reports that one of the lifts is currently being used as a shelter and have contacted relevant authorities.’

The new lift was installed as part of the upgrade to the station, making it accessible for the first time in its history. 

However, there have been a number of issues which have led to one or both lifts being out of action.