London Underground £3 million toilet plans 'not enough' as network in 'crisis'
Sadiq Khan's plan to improve toilet provision on Transport for London's (TfL) network has been criticised, with the cash being provided 'millions shy' of what is needed. On Tuesday, officials outlined the first phase of a 'bold plan' to install new free-to-use and accessible toilets across London's public transport, including on the Underground and Overground.
In January, Mr Khan announced that he was setting aside £3 million per year over five years to improve facilities. New facilities will be built, alongside 'continued refurbishment of existing toilets'.
Green Party London Assembly Member Caroline Russell has long campaigned on the issue. She says the capital is in the grips of a 'toilet crisis', claiming the Mayor needs to do more.
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The Assembly Member said: “If I’m reading the Mayor’s feasibility report correctly, Londoners aren’t going to have a whole lot of new places to wee anytime soon. I do thank the Mayor and TfL for producing this meaningful picture of toilets on the Tube, and am relieved to see the pledges to keep toilets free, staff full-time attendants, and a commitment to accessibility.
“Yet it’s clear the Mayor still fails to comprehend the scale and magnitude of the toilet crisis in London. His ‘big’ £3 million toilet investment is still millions shy of what my report demonstrated is needed. Constructing nine new toilets is a start, but it's far from the kind of transformative investment the millions of TfL passengers were promised.
“As I told him this morning, enough of the delays: Mr Mayor, we’ve kept our legs crossed for long enough - it’s time to start building.”
A spokesperson for Mr Khan said: “The Mayor knows how important toilet provision is for many Londoners. This £3m investment is part of £15m committed over five years - the biggest investment in toilets that London’s transport network has ever seen, and the Mayor is working with TfL to continue improving the accessibility of the network to build a better, fairer London for everyone.”
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