Should station lavatories in London accept Oyster?

[Starmill]

Interesting idea. What about on trains? Where available I suppose - there was that rumour that the maintence guys wanted toilets fitted to 455s as they were unhappy at all of the pennies being spent in the corridor connections late at night! :cry:

 

[herschell]

Dundee station is free yet the bus station is 30p but the way I see it is that charging for using facilities should be illegal in my personal opnion.

 

[radamfi]

Many major stations are near big hotels with very nice, free toilets!

Britain actually charges for fewer public conveniences than many other countries. In mainland Europe, it is quite common to have to pay the attendant to go to toilets in McDonalds.

In Switzerland, it can cost 2 francs (£1.30) to go to the station toilet.

 

[OLJR]

So because you cant be bothered to carry small change, TfL, NR etc have to go to the expense of installing Oystercard readers on all the toilets!

Almost every other service provider in the country offers the option to purchase without using cash. I do not see why a lavatory provider should be any different!

 

[najaB]

So because you cant be bothered to carry small change, TfL, NR etc have to go to the expense of installing Oystercard readers on all the toilets!

It's not necessarily that people can't be bothered carrying change, sometimes you just don't have any. I usually have about anything up to a couple of pounds in loose change change in my pocket, but the morning I almost came to grief in Lime Street all I had on me was notes as I'd used the change buying a coffee on the ferry over from Belfast.

Which would've been fine if the change machine took notes. :-x

 

[radamfi]

I can kind of understand not carrying change. I do carry a small wallet of coins in my bag and I ensure it has a wide range of denominations, but I rarely get it out as I can use bank cards or smartcards for nearly all my payment needs. Actually, I use banknotes even less. Almost everywhere that banknotes are accepted, credit cards are too, and you get cashback for using credit cards.

 

[455driver]

Interesting idea. What about on trains? Where available I suppose - there was that rumour that the maintence guys wanted toilets fitted to 455s as they were unhappy at all of the pennies being spent in the corridor connections late at night! :cry:

It isnt just pennies being left, trust me on that one!

 

[Greenback]

I don't think the issue has got much to do with change. To me, there should be an alternative payment method, and Oyster makes sense in London. But the practicalities of this happening are such that it will be a while before it's done, if ever.

Perhaps contactless cards will be more to the TOC's taste?

 

[Clip]

Dundee station is free yet the bus station is 30p but the way I see it is that charging for using facilities should be illegal in my personal opnion.

Ok ill bite - who is going to pay for the cleaning of them then?

 

[Tom B]

Ok ill bite - who is going to pay for the cleaning of them then?

The owner of the premises? Just like a pub landlord provides toilets, a shopping centre provides toilets etc.

If the object is genuinely to exclude undesirables who cause trouble, have an Oyster reader set up which will charge 20p to PAYG cards or free entrance to those who have a weekly etc travelcard.

 

[starrymarkb]

Victoria Coach Station is one I'll normally pay to use. 30p is good value when you consider the experience of using most coach bogs.

 

[Dr_Intoxicated]

They really shouldn't charge.

Train toilets can't be cleaned as frequently and some people will wait until they get on board to spend a penny.

For anyone else who resents having to pay at Kings Cross: you can walk across the road and use the Toilets at St Pancras for free.

Yes that is what I normally do, a good tip

 

[infobleep]

Interesting idea. What about on trains? Where available I suppose - there was that rumour that the maintence guys wanted toilets fitted to 455s as they were unhappy at all of the pennies being spent in the corridor connections late at night! :cry:

It isnt just pennies being left, trust me on that one!

Well if they will use trains without toilets on the last services from major cities then what do they expect.

People who want those extra few drinking minutes and then rushing to make the last train, without time to stop and use a loo before boarding.

Of course I have RADAR key so I rarely pay as most places don't charge for using the accessibility loos. Also usually accessibility loos are in a nicer state.

 

[radamfi]

Victoria Coach Station is one I'll normally pay to use. 30p is good value when you consider the experience of using most coach bogs.

The Grosvenor Hotel has an entrance straight into London Victoria station, next to the entrance to the station toilets.

 

[Deerfold]

No, they should not charge.
On another note for a period (a couple of years ago, when the new? ones had opened but there was still female ones on the other bridge) Birmingham New Street had free toilets for females but all the male toilets were chargeable.
But seriously this could open up offers for toilet use, eg:7 day season for £1.20, half price/third off for railcard holders and children, annual pass (£20?)...

I've seen several cities in Italy where you can get a daily or weekly ticket for the loos - of course they're already charging for the council facilities there which can be a bit of an earner in places popular with tourists (but better than many British towns and cities with few or no facilities.

 

[physics34]

we all agree they shouldnt charge but then again it costs a euro to spend a penny at Amsterdam Central station and i think germany aswell, so maybe we are not too bad

 

[Cliveblackpool]

Oyster tapping in & out could give them valuable information.
Average time spent in the loo etc etc!
Flexible charging. 20p for say less than ten minutes, 30p for more. Could speed up throughput!!
So those who do their business, plus shave/ makeover pay a little more lol!

Motorway users have free spotless toilets, supplied by the concessionaires who make money on those sites. The better the facilities the more business call at their site. Maybe a model that could be followed by by rail companies / franchises etc.

 

[jon0844]

Oyster tapping in & out could give them valuable information.
Average time spent in the loo etc etc!
Flexible charging. 20p for say less than ten minutes, 30p for more. Could speed up throughput!!

Bad tummy? Introduce Oyster Crapping Capping for those that need to go multiple times in any 24 hour period.

 

[Clip]

The owner of the premises? Just like a pub landlord provides toilets, a shopping centre provides toilets etc.

If the object is genuinely to exclude undesirables who cause trouble, have an Oyster reader set up which will charge 20p to PAYG cards or free entrance to those who have a weekly etc travelcard.

AFAIK pubs have a legal requirement to provide facilities as do restaurants and so forth over a certain amount of people.

And I dont think the railway does.

Motorway users have free spotless toilets, supplied by the concessionaires who make money on those sites. The better the facilities the more business call at their site. Maybe a model that could be followed by by rail companies / franchises etc.

So we increase the prices even more of on station outlets? Thats going to work isnt it given passengers are not really a captive audience just like they are at service stations.

 

[infobleep]

I've seen several cities in Italy where you can get a daily or weekly ticket for the loos - of course they're already charging for the council facilities there which can be a bit of an earner in places popular with tourists (but better than many British towns and cities with few or no facilities.

Well a lot of the loos in Rome had no seats which is annoying when you need to sit down, as one does. If only their was a European wide standard for accessible toilet keys.

 

[infobleep]

AFAIK pubs have a legal requirement to provide facilities as do restaurants and so forth over a certain amount of people.

And I dont think the railway does.



So we increase the prices even more of on station outlets? Thats going to work isnt it given passengers are not really a captive audience just like they are at service stations.

Perhaps there should be a legal requirement for railways to provide loos. Clearly it would cost to much so it could be amended to be that all stations with loos have the loos opening whilst the station is open to passenger traffic. All new train builds could also be required to have loos, just as they are required to cater for wheelchairs.

 

[Bevan Price]

It's not so much the turnstiles themselves, as the change machines that are often found close by. In most London terminals they take £5 notes, but the one in Liverpool Lime Street has had the note mechanism removed and only takes coins now.

There are free toilets at Liverpool Central (after you pass through the barriers), and free toilets in the shopping centre opposite Lime Street - adjacent to the food area downstairs.

Free toilets were originally started to improve public hygiene. Now we get councillors whingeing about people urinating in the streets - often the same dim councillors who were responsible for the closure of many public toilets in their towns.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

Well a lot of the loos in Rome had no seats which is annoying when you need to sit down, as one does. If only their was a European wide standard for accessible toilet keys.

Don't mind squat (Turkish) toilets - good positioning if you have a difficult one!! Also no contact - except your feet. Stand clear when flushing!
Talk of having them in this country, in cities with large ethnic populations.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Motorway users have free spotless toilets, supplied by the concessionaires who make money on those sites. The better the facilities the more business call at their site. Maybe a model that could be followed by by rail companies / franchises etc.

I always understood that the requirement to pay at station toilets was more to keep out certain types than to actually raise revenue.

Motoroway service stations are not normally frequented by homeless drug users and the presence of toilets at these locations is actually really just advertising - how many people stop to use the toilets, then decide to buy something.

 

[edwin_m]

Motoroway service stations are not normally frequented by homeless drug users and the presence of toilets at these locations is actually really just advertising - how many people stop to use the toilets, then decide to buy something.

Quite a lot no doubt, especially as the design always makes you walk past all the shops to get to them. However I believe the concession agreements for service stations require free toilets just as they require free parking up to a certain period.

 

[jon0844]

I think they have to provide free toilets and also food 24/7. It's a legal requirement, and often used as an excuse by the operators to justify the huge prices.

But most service stations are fairly well used all day and night, so I am not sure the claims are that true. I used to go to services between midnight and 5-6am and they had minimal staff, so I doubt it was THAT expensive to keep them open late.

Now you're even expected to pay £1.99 to use a cash machine, and if you want to eat at Burger King then you better arrange a loan in advance. And as for WH Smith and the like...

Suffice to say, I nearly always just go to the toilet and get out quick!

 

[mirodo]

They really shouldn't charge.

Train toilets can't be cleaned as frequently and some people will wait until they get on board to spend a penny.

For anyone else who resents having to pay at Kings Cross: you can walk across the road and use the Toilets at St Pancras for free.

Or upstairs to use the facilities in the Parcel Yard pub.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Bad tummy? Introduce Oyster Crapping Capping for those that need to go multiple times in any 24 hour period.

Maybe they could introduce a zonal system as well - Zone 1 for urinals only, Zone 2 if you want to use the sit-down facilities.

 

[Busaholic]

Or upstairs to use the facilities in the Parcel Yard pub.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Maybe they could introduce a zonal system as well - Zone 1 for urinals only, Zone 2 if you want to use the sit-down facilities.

That would make for an interesting Ladies - inspectors to check?!

 

[Hadders]

I must be going in different toilets at St Pancras then, as every time I've been in them they've been an advertisement for why they should be charging!

Though having said that, the ones at Euston haven't been much better when I've been in them, and those are pay per pee.

St Pancras has two sets of public toilets:

The ones adjacent to the circle shopping area are in a pretty poor state and have had no refurbishment since they were opened which must be getting towards 10 years now.

The ones opposite the Eurostar arrivals area were fully refurbished last year and are in a very good condition.

Both are free to use.

 

[infobleep]

Don't mind squat (Turkish) toilets - good positioning if you have a difficult one!! Also no contact - except your feet. Stand clear when flushing!
Talk of having them in this country, in cities with large ethnic populations.

Unfortunately Squating wouldn't work in my case. I'm in a minority of course but then so are most users of accessibility toilets.