Crossrail has opened with 38 of the 41 Elizabeth line stations having some toilet facilities.
For the Crossrail stations without public toilets, the Commissioner for Transport for London (TfL) has said there are no plans to retrofit them.
The London Assembly has previously shown support for public toilets by calling for more loos for Londoners and the millions of visitors who come to our city every year.
Today it called on the Mayor and Commissioner for TfL to commit to providing public toilets at all new stations and to prioritise retrofitting them in those stations without.
Caroline Russell AM, who proposed the motion, said:
"Londoners waited years for Crossrail and it is terrible that parts of this new line remain inaccessible because there are no public toilets at some stations. The lack of toilets puts the transport system out of reach, for people experiencing health issues and especially for older and disabled people, which isn't right or fair.
"The Mayor and the TfL Commissioner must make retrofitting toilets on the transport system a priority and government can play its part if the Secretary of State for Transport provides London with fair and sustainable longer-term funding.
"Londoners and people visiting should be able to get around our city with dignity, and that means no new rail line should ever open without providing fully accessible public toilets."
Krupesh Hirani AM, who seconded the motion, said:
"Families and caregivers with young children and Londoners with disabilities and chronic health issues, often plan their journeys and days out in the capital around access to toilet facilities.
"We have also been hearing the concerns of older Londoners in a recent Age UK report about the deficit of public loos in our parks, high streets and town centres. So clearly, this issue does not just inconvenience Londoners and tourists, but it can sadly exclude people from fully participating in our city's economy and community life.
"It has been positive to see facilities provided at the majority of the new Elizabeth Line stations and other Mayoral investment to support the installation of over 100 more toilets across the capital so far.
"With a proper funding boost from Central Government, it might be possible for TfL to look at including more accessible toilets in new stations, alongside retrofitting existing ones along the network. I would also like to see the Government expand its Changing Places toilets scheme so more councils in London can benefit from it".
The full text of the motion is:
This Assembly notes that Crossrail has opened with 38 of the 41 Elizabeth line stations having some toilet facilities.
It is with regret that this Assembly heard from the Commissioner for Transport for London (TfL) who, when asked about retrofitting public toilets at Crossrail stations without them, at the 6 June 2022 London Assembly Plenary meeting, responded: "We do not have plans to retrofit and we certainly don't have funding to do that."
This Assembly also notes that neither the upgrade to Bank Station nor the Barking Riverside extension, both planned and agreed under the previous Mayor, included any public toilets.
This Assembly has previously shown our support in calling for more toilets for Londoners and the millions of visitors who come to our city every year. London should be open for everyone, and the provision of toilets should include completely accessible and Changing Places toilets.
The Assembly also notes that through his Good Growth programme, the Mayor has funded the installation of over 100 public toilets across London so far, many of which are accessible.
We call on the Mayor and the Commissioner for TfL to commit to providing public toilets at all new stations and to prioritise retrofitting toilets along with other measures that make public transport accessible when developing plans for upgrading and investing in London's transport infrastructure. This Assembly also calls on the Secretary of State for Transport to provide London with a fair and sustainable longer-term funding deal, to enable this work to be carried out, along with other existing priorities.
The Assembly also urges the Government to increase the funding pot of the next round of the Changing Places toilets scheme to ensure more local authorities can benefit from it.
Notes to editors
- Watch the full webcast.
- The motion was agreed unanimously.
- Caroline Russell AM, who proposed the motion, is available for interviews.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
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