Public Transport: Sanitation
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that toilet facilities at public transport (a) stations and (b) interchanges are (i) accessible and (ii) free of cost.
Answered by Keir Mather
The Department recognises that accessible toilet provision can be an important factor in enabling people, including disabled passengers, to travel with confidence. Responsibility for the provision and operation of toilet facilities at stations and interchanges sits with the relevant infrastructure owners and operators.
The Department has previously supported accessibility improvements through targeted funding, including providing over £2.5 million to deliver Changing Places Toilets across the transport network, in partnership with Muscular Dystrophy UK. This programme has funded installations primarily at motorway service areas, alongside a small number of locations on the rail network, helping to support people with complex disabilities and their carers.
The Department is also developing guidance this year to improve the overall accessibility of local bus and coach stops and stations. Additionally, any new or refurbished toilets at railway stations must comply with current accessibility standards, or enforcement action can be taken by the Office of Rail and Road.
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