London Underground: Large parts of Tube are loo desert, report says

The report says that even the most modern stations lack loos, with the Elizabeth line missing toilets at three stations, including Bond Street and Canary Wharf

Large sections of the London Underground network lack toilet provision, according to a new report.

The research has shown fewer than a quarter of stations in zones 1-3 have toilets.

The longest "loo desert" are the 12 stops between Morden and Elephant and Castle on the Northern line, the report says.

A Transport for London (TfL) spokesman has said TfL is committed to expanding toilet facilities on the network.

The report, authored by Caroline Russell, a Green member of the London Assembly, says 83% of Metropolitan line stations have toilets (29% are accessible), while the figure is 27% (21% accessible) on the Northern line.

Another stretch without toilets was found on the District line between Wimbledon Park and Bayswater - a gap of a 10 stops, taking 22 minutes.

The report says even the most modern station can lack facilities, with the Elizabeth line - which has 95% coverage (93% accessible) - missing toilets at three stops, including Bond Street and Canary Wharf.

'Essential for everyone'

At Bank, the station has no toilets following the completion of a £700m, seven-year upgrade in February this year.

Ms Russell said: "Londoners shouldn't have to cross their legs and hope on the Tube.

"A properly accessible public transport system must include toilets and information on where to find them.

"This is essential for everyone, especially older and disabled people who may be restricted from travelling by a 'loo leash'."

After Labour assembly members voted down a Green proposal to immediately create 70 new toilets across the transport network costing £20m, Labour mayor Sadiq Khan promised a feasibility study in February.

Len Duvall, the London Assembly's Labour group leader, had said the proposal "just seemed too vast" to commit to without first carrying out the study.

Ms Russell criticised the "delay and dithering" and said Londoners needed the mayor to get on with making the Tube network "flush with new toilets."

In May, TfL said it would share the terms of reference for the study by the end of June, but then said in August that it would be doing so "in the coming weeks".

Commenting on the delay earlier this month, a TfL spokesman said: "Early work on this study is already under way and we will be sharing the feasibility study documents with our stakeholders in the coming weeks."

A spokeswoman for Mr Khan says the mayor "recognises the importance of free and accessible public toilets for Londoners", and that he will continue working with TfL to identify opportunities for more toilets.

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