The half million Sunderland figure quoted doesn't include Metro users so it's actually much higher
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Important stations with no toilets
- Thread starter Old Yard Dog
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The half million Sunderland figure quoted doesn't include Metro users so it's actually much higher
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Indeed. It's pointless having an 'accessible' toilet, if the majority aren't able to access it, or any other toilet.
duffield
Established Member
Yes, it's ridiculous, you can usually walk straight into the gents and find a urinal (maybe 30 seconds wait), although you might have to wait a few minutes for a stall; meanwhile there's maybe 20-30 women queuing outside the women's toilet, looks like maybe 10-15 minute wait.
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[.n]
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Yes, when in the distant past I have used the toilets when they were open at Weymouth, I remember being surprised that they were lit with a weird blue light. Many of you will have realised far quicker than me that this was UV light designed to make drug use more difficult!
Having barriers at Weymouth but nowhere else would probably cause more problems than it solved, as far as I can tell in between Weymouth and Winchester (with the exception of Southampton Central Central and Bournemouth) there are no barriered stations, and the vast majority of these are also unstaffed (for at least a significant time)
And yet somewhere like Woking has three disabled loos. These are platform 1, between platform 2 and 4 and platform 4. Also mutiple gents and ladies loos too. I think beteeen platform 2 and 4 and on platform 5!
I can't see the logic.
On a purely selfish note, I'm glad the majority of people can't access an accessibility toilet.
I sometimes find myself having to clean the loo seat of those that can be access without a key.
Still at least our loos have seats. In Italy not all public loos do. For medical/disability reasons I cannot squat to use the loo.
I do sympathise with staff who have to clean public loos, particularly given the habits of some members of the public. However, as a loo going member of the general public, I regard the availability of toilets as a necessity.
On the subject of seats, I remember seat less toilets in places such as Penzance and (Manc) Victoria, and being baffled about how one was supposed to use them !
The toilets at St Helens Central have been closed since before Christmas. A sign on the barrier blocking access says closed for reconstruction refurbishment. Spoke to staff a few weeks ago who stated they had no idea when the work would start.
I emailed Northern who manage the station asking them to at least put a communication on the Station Updates section of their website, after four weeks got a reply thanking me for my communication but still done nothing about it.
Pretty poor really.
I emailed Northern who manage the station asking them to at least put a communication on the Station Updates section of their website, after four weeks got a reply thanking me for my communication but still done nothing about it.
Pretty poor really.
trainophile
Established Member
Like most ladies do, you hover! Wouldn’t dream of sitting on a public toilet seat, yuk.
St Pancras has loads of Ladies loos, but it doesn’t take much imagination to work out why a visit takes longer than a man using a urinal. More complicated clothing for one thing! Despite the queues the turnover is actually quite quick as there are plenty of cubicles.
Backroom_boy
Member
At StP it depends which platforms, and which toilets.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Er, sit on them? A bit cold though.
I must admit that I would prefer we adopted "Asian style" public loos (plus a few normal ones for those of limited mobility). Barely matters how mucky they are then.
They have those in France- and they still get into a hell of a state.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
They do, but as you don't need to make any physical contact with them that's less of an issue. I've used some horrible ones in India (Delhi belly has a habit of necessitating it) but the absolute worst case (unless you lack balance or drop something in, I guess) is no worse than standing in dog mess, and it's rarely anywhere near that bad.
They are also easier to clean, you just hose them down.
Goldfish62
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Horrendous things. Can you imagine of them if they were introduced at UK stations? Doesn't bear thinking about.
I'm not convinced about the hovering method.
I seem to recall that StP had about four cubicles in the gents - which is a considerable under-provision.
What are they exactly ?
If it involves squatting, no thank you !
53703
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Quite a few in West Yorkshire:
Wakefield Kirkgate
Castleford
Glasshoughton
Keighley(?)
Wakefield Kirkgate
Castleford
Glasshoughton
Keighley(?)
Quite a few large stations on the electrified lines NW of Leeds don't have them. Shipley, Bingley, Keighley - unless you can blag your way onto the KWVR platform. I was told that this was because there were toilets on the trains, which is true - although only one on the 333's and a lot of sprinters. (The old 308's at least had two !).
Old Yard Dog
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Manchester Victoria and Moorfields do have toilets, but these are inaccessible without passing through ticket barriers for those changing trains. This is very "inconvenient".
I can't hover as I have ankylosing spondylitis (type of airthits) and spastic diplegia (a type of cerebral palsy) . My knees can't put up with crouching for very long. I mean within 5 seconds it's becoming to much for them.
On top of that I've had my colon removed, due to having ulcerative colitis, so I don't think anyone else would want me to hoover!
I am at least fortunate that I can use regular loos when no accessible loo is avilable.
I wonder how people treated loos 80 years ago. I imagine thsee important stations, if existing then, would have had loos. Many smaller stations did. E. G. Christ's Hospital near Horsham.
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
Assuming you are talking about the ones opposite the Eurostar arrivals exit, when it was first opened, the St Pancras toilets were nearly three times the size they are now. They were re-worked into the smaller size we have now within about 6 months of opening.
Yes, I seem to remember they used to be more of a size befitting a London terminal.
Then they came up with the present inadequate situation. Obviously got a better offer for the space !
Salford Crescent has no public toilets except a disabled one upstairs by the booking office, accessible by RADAR key only. No key is kept at the booking office. I still keep the RADAR key I had for a disabled friend, and was able to rescue a distraught mother of small children at Salford Crescent once. The mirror inside is a distorting one, rather like something from a Fun House at a funfair.
The toilet at my local station (Cressington on Merseyrail) is fully accessible to wheelchair users provided they don't also need to use a train. Both platforms are at a lower level only able to be reached by stairs.
Now that's a bizarre situation. I would hope they get around to putting in lifts/ramps at some stage.
mike57
Established Member
People asking about toilets get sent to the bus station on the opposite side of the road. 20p, not to bad inside, a 4 may be on the trainspotting (film) scale where 1 is perfectly clean and 10 is like the famous toilet in the film.
Problem is bus station closes way before last train, after that bike shelter seems to serve as a urinal judging by smell.
With the unreliable TPE service it's not unusual to be stuck there for an extra hour, so definitely a problem.
What happens if there is an emergency in the toilet then???
I don't know the answer to your question, but a RADAR key alone wouldn't be able to open a toilet cubicle, if it is locked from the inside.
Lots of them will open if they're locked, so you're supposed to knock before using the key.
They have a disc on the outside which can be turned with a coin to unlock them when they're locked from the inside.
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