Whole Assembly united on toilets for the tube
The London Assembly has yet again today supported a call from Caroline Russell AM for the Mayor to invest in new toilets on the London transport network – but this time with unanimous, cross-party support.
The call comes after a report released by Caroline Russell AM showed that less than a quarter of Transport for London (TfL) stations in zones 1 -3 of London have toilets, with ‘loo deserts’ like the Northern line stretching all the way from Morden to Kennington.
The call has also been supported by campaigners such as Age UK London. The need for a toilet can be a real challenge to older Londoners and those with a medical condition, preventing them accessing all that London has to offer.
Green Party London Assembly Member Caroline Russell said:
“I expect the Mayor to listen and get on with providing new toilets at existing TfL stations. My report has uncovered a hugely uneven picture in the provision of toilets – some lines are flush with them, and others are just crap.
“When I last asked the Mayor to invest in new toilets, he instead suggested a feasibility study which has taken months to even begin. Londoners need real investment in new toilets now. You can’t have a wee in a feasibility study.
“I really hope this is the last time we have to come together as an Assembly and call on the Mayor to stop Londoners having to cross their legs and hope.”
Abi Wood, CEO, Age UK London said:
“The ability to use the transport network easily can be transformative. Unfortunately, the current lack of toilet provision can make journeys really difficult and in some cases lead people to decide not to make a journey at all.
“This ultimately prevents people from doing the things that they need and want to do – we shouldn’t accept that this is just how things are. We fully support calls for more investment in toilet provision on the TfL network.
“This is something that all Londoners will benefit from and make our city more inclusive and welcoming now and in the future.”
Toilet provision by line
| Rank | Lines | Stations | ? | ♿ |
| 1 | Elizabeth Line | 41 | 95% | 93% |
| 2 | Metropolitan | 35 | 83% | 29% |
| 3 | Jubilee | 27 | 63% | 52% |
| 4 | Central | 49 | 59% | 16% |
| 5 | Piccadilly | 53 | 55% | 19% |
| 6 | Waterloo & City | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| 7 | Victoria | 16 | 44% | 25% |
| 8 | District | 60 | 42% | 25% |
| 9 | Bakerloo | 25 | 32% | 24% |
| 10 | Circle | 35 | 29% | 23% |
| 11 | Overground | 112 | 28% | 26% |
| 12 | Hammersmith & City | 29 | 28% | 24% |
| 13 | Northern Line | 52 | 27% | 21% |
| 14 | Thameslink | 64 | 14% | 13% |
| 15 | DLR | 45 | 11% | 11% |
| 16 | Tram | 39 | 10% | 8% |
? = per cent of stations with any toilets
♿ = per cent of stations with accessible toilets
Caroline’s report The London Loo League Table was published in August 2023, it draws on data from TfL to analyse toilet provision throughout London. https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/TfL%20Toilet%20Report%20FINAL.pdf