London Assembly calls for toilets at Crossrail stations

Plans for Crossrail’s stations should be revised to include public toilets according to a new report published by the London Assembly.

The call comes after it emerged toilets would not be provided on the £15bn rail scheme’s trains or stations.

The report by the Assembly’s Health and Public Services Committee also calls on the Mayor, the Greater London Authority and local councils to publish more information about the availability of public toilets.

Committee Chair Victoria Borwick described the failure to provide toilets at Crossrail stations as “a missed opportunity” and said the rail scheme offered “an ideal and cost-effective chance to increase the numbers of toilets in the capital, especially for disabled users.”

Assembly Members have also suggested toilets located at bus and tube stations, libraries and town halls be opened to the public.

The committee’s report reveals there are just 401 toilets maintained by local authorities – a decrease of 20% over the past decade.

In 2006 an investigation by the Assembly revealed there was just one public toilet for every 18,000 London residents.

In 2009 the Mayor launched a scheme to encourage retailers to allow non-customers to use their toilets. AMs say the initiative should sit alongside greater provision of public facilities.

Launching the report, Mrs Borwick said: “Public toilets are a vital service for Londoners and visitors, and access to them will become especially important with the extra visitors expected for the 2012 Games. However, people need to know where these toilets are before they are able to use them. 

“While we support the work already done by the Mayor to encourage businesses to open up their toilets to the public, we believe he is in a unique position to use his policies and powers of influence to boost provision and access.”

Responding to the report Crossrail said passengers would “have access” to toilets at “approximately 75 per cent” of destinations as it would work with other transport services to refurbish existing facilities.

A spokesperson said: “Crossrail and Network Rail plan to upgrade National Rail stations along the route, reintroducing toilets at stations where they previously existed and providing toilets at stations that are being significantly rebuilt such as Abbey Wood.

“Six central section stations will integrate with Tube and National Rail stations, including Paddington and Liverpool Street, where there are existing toilet facilities.

“Crossrail will provide toilets at Custom House while the existing London Underground toilet facilities at Farringdon and Whitechapel will be refurbished with new facilities introduced at Tottenham Court Road from 2016 as part of the Tube station upgrade programme.”

The spokesperson added that facilities at Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Whitechapel, and Custom House “will all be designed to accommodate people with restricted mobility.”