Train drivers in Great Britain consider strike over lack of toilets

Train drivers in Great Britain are considering strike action over a lack of toilets, with unions stating that basic needs remain unaddressed a year after the rail regulator instructed operators to improve facilities and breaks.

Aslef, the train drivers' union, said it was "putting the industry on notice" and that companies had failed to deliver adequate toilets and reduce maximum driving time without a toilet break. A 2024 Aslef survey found widespread issues, with many drivers unable to reach working toilets and resorting to urinating in bottles or defecating in cabs. The report highlighted it as a significant health and safety problem, with drivers dehydrating themselves to avoid needing a toilet break, endangering passengers and staff.

The union believed it had secured a breakthrough last summer when operators signed a charter drawn up by the rail safety board. Richard Hines, HM chief inspector of railways at the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), wrote to operators on 29 July 2025 stating that "reliable welfare facilities are a basic requirement in any civilised society" and that the current situation was unacceptable.

The charter, due to be implemented within 12 months, requires "safe, clean, accessible and dignified" toilets across the railway and a maximum of four hours in the driving seat without a toilet opportunity. However, the ORR's annual report published this month said progress has been uneven and industry momentum has slowed.

Aslef general secretary Dave Calfe said: "We need action, not broken promises. Drivers are still paying with their health for industry inaction." Female drivers are particularly affected, and the situation is a deterrent to recruiting more women.

The Unite union is also campaigning for better toilets for bus and lorry drivers, calling the lack of facilities a huge problem. A Department for Transport spokesperson said operators are legally required to provide suitable staff toilets and that these welfare issues will be considered as the industry moves towards Great British Railways.