Transport for London (TfL) has announced its ambitious programme to increase and improve toilet provision on London’s transport network, in support of TfL’s Equity in Motion plan to make London’s transport network more accessible, fair and inclusive. The plan will see new accessible toilets delivered across the network, and improvements made to many existing facilities.
Earlier this year, the Mayor announced the biggest dedicated investment in toilet provision that London’s transport network has seen, totalling £3million per year over five years. This will be invested in improving and increasing the number of accessible toilets on the network.
TfL is committed to making toilets more accessible for everyone and closing the gap in existing toilet provision so that Tube, Overground and Elizabeth line customers are always within 20 minutes of a toilet without having to change train.* Following engagement with customers, campaigners and staff, a new programme has been developed to ensure new toilets benefit customers who need them most. Stations were then chosen according to a number of factors, including whether the location is a terminus station, operates night services, has step-free access, high passenger footfall, proximity to other toilets on the network, and onward connections.
TfL is committed to creating new facilities and enhancing existing facilities, including reopening closed facilities, and improving the cleaning of facilities. Following the study, TfL has shortlisted a number of locations for new toilet provision in the first round of works:
Camden Road Overground station
Clapton Overground station
New Cross Gate London Overground station
South Tottenham London Overground station
White Hart Lane Overground station
Morden Underground station
Hammersmith Underground station
Tfl Image – Tfl toilet map
Download
TfL and the Mayor recognise that the provision of toilets is critical to many customers, sometimes determining whether a customer can travel by public transport at all. This is why TfL is also looking to convert a further four existing non-accessible toilets to accessible facilities within this first phase of the project at Amersham, Green Park and Sudbury Hill Underground stations and Seven Sisters Overground station, improving availability at other busy toilets that are currently misused or vandalised. TfL has also made improvements to more than one-third of London Underground stations with toilet provision in recent years, including repairing faults and re-painting areas.
Construction work to deliver new and accessible toilets at these stations is expected to start at several locations within the next year, following detailed assessments to determine viability.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Toilet provision is critical for many Londoners and visitors, and can even determine whether somebody travels on public transport at all. That’s why I’m planning to make the biggest ever investment to increase toilet provision across TfL services and boost accessibility. I’m pleased that the first round of my funding will enable toilet provision in new stations as well as upgrading current facilities – helping us to build a better, fairer London for everyone.”
