Transport for London Announces £15m Investment for Network Toilet Expansion and Upgrades

On Wednesday, Transport for London (TfL) disclosed plans to allocate £15m towards constructing additional toilets across its network and enhancing existing amenities. For Billie Nicholls, who lives with ulcerative colitis, this announcement signifies the ability to commute without “worry and stress”. The 28-year-old, residing in south-west London, emphasized that toilet accessibility is “really important” for individuals managing gut or bladder conditions. She received her diagnosis of the chronic inflammatory bowel disease in 2017 and has been using a stoma bag for seven years. TfL stated its intention to increase the current count of 185 available toilets, ensuring that customers are “always within 20 minutes of a toilet without having to change train”. The organization also indicated that construction is anticipated to commence within the upcoming year. Mrs Nicholls, who regularly travels for work from Tooting Broadway to London Bridge, described the commitment as “brilliant,” noting that many individuals “don’t have the luxury of waiting” for a toilet. She recalled an incident in October 2019 that underscored the critical importance of toilet access. After concluding a meeting at her Bankside office at the end of the day, she found that her stoma had leaked down her leg. “It just wasn’t sticking to my skin,” she recounted. “I ran as quick as I could to get to the Tube.” She continued, “When I got to Euston, my stoma was falling off my stomach. There was poo all down my leg.” Nicholls added, “If there had been a toilet earlier in my journey, that definitely would have made a difference.” Helena Salisbury, from Weybridge, utilizes the Tube weekly for professional meetings across London. Diagnosed with colitis a year ago, she acknowledged that a 20-minute interval between toilets represented a “step in the right direction” but maintained it was still insufficient. “The ideal is one in every station,” the 29-year-old asserted. “You want that peace of mind.” Ms Salisbury further explained that during a colitis flare-up, “20 minutes is actually a very long time”. She previously opted to avoid work during such flare-ups due to the “anxiety-inducing” nature of travel on the train and Tube network. “I didn’t have peace of mind travelling,” she stated. “Once you’re underground on the Tube, you’re stuck. It can cause quite a lot of stress.” Ms Salisbury also suggested that TfL could assist passengers by displaying maps within carriages indicating which stations offer toilet facilities. Fern Howard, representing Crohn’s & Colitis UK, expressed satisfaction regarding the planned improvements to toilet access but echoed Ms Salisbury’s concern that a 20-minute wait is “often not possible”. She remarked, “We know that nine in 10 people with Crohn’s or Colitis plan their activities based on toilet access.” Howard added, “It is challenging, stressful and isolating if public and accessible toilets are not available.” John McGeachy, from Age UK London, also expressed approval for the funding. He commented, “Public toilets are not something we talk about often but the reality is that better provision can transform lives.” McGeachy elaborated, “One in five people do not leave home as much as they would like to, because of consideration around a lack of public toilets – it’s called the ‘loo leash’.” He concluded, “When it comes to the transport network, that can mean some people deciding not to make a particular journey.” TfL has identified specific locations for new toilets. The organization indicated that stations were selected based on several criteria, including whether the location serves as a terminus, operates night services, provides step-free access, experiences high passenger footfall, its proximity to other network toilets, and onward connections. TfL acknowledged a current “gap in provision” and affirmed that providing toilets is “critical to many customers”. It also recognized that the availability of toilets sometimes dictates “whether a customer can travel by public transport at all”. While some toilets within the network have faced closure or limited access due to vandalism, TfL confirmed its efforts to “improve availability” of these facilities and is developing new designs to ensure the toilets are “less prone to abuse”. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, commented that this investment would contribute to fostering a “better, fairer London for everyone”.