Toilets not available

[infobleep]

On a wider note, it would be helpful if not so many toilets were locker out of use. This happens at railway stations including lines where no trains run with toilets.

It only occurs when stations are unstaffed.

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[trainophile]

I dont think anyone on this thread has just said 'tough' have they?

It has been heavily implied.

As regards station toilets locked out of use, it would be good if all stations on no-loo train lines actually had toilets at all. Yes I'm thinking Merseyrail, and I know that some of their stations do but very many do not.

I went to West Kirby yesterday, where a notice greets you on the platform saying please note there are no public toilets at this station. Not very good for a terminus stop, although I suppose it brings more potential customers into Morrisons!

 

[455driver]

On a wider note, it would be helpful if not so many toilets were locked out of use. This happens at railway stations including lines where no trains run with toilets.

It only occurs when stations are unstaffed.

So you would prefer the toilets to be left open 24 hours a day, vandalised by the local yoof and then closed for a few weeks while the whole lot is rebuilt! Repeat ad nauseum.

They are closed to prevent vandalism.

 

[trainophile]

Don't most stations have CCTV? Even if it's not acceptable inside the facilities at least it would record entry and exit times and if gangs went in.

We don't close all shops down because occasionally shoplifting happens, or abolish town centres because sometimes there's antisocial behaviour.

It's ironic that urinating in a public place is a criminal offence, yet most public toilets are being shut down.

 

[Greenback]

Don't most stations have CCTV? Even if it's not acceptable inside the facilities at least it would record entry and exit times and if gangs went in.

We don't close all shops down because occasionally shoplifting happens, or abolish town centres because sometimes there's antisocial behaviour.

It's ironic that urinating in a public place is a criminal offence, yet most public toilets are being shut down.

It would be impossible to secure a conviction unless there wa ssome evidence of damage being done. How could you prove who committed an offence of vandalism out of all of the individuals who entered a toilet?

 

[trainophile]

It would be impossible to secure a conviction unless there wa ssome evidence of damage being done. How could you prove who committed an offence of vandalism out of all of the individuals who entered a toilet?

Didn't I hear only the other day about a new addition to the statute book, to the effect that knowingly permitting a criminal act will now be an offence? In other words, if you're with someone who commits an offence and you don't try to prevent them then you're as guilty as they are.

I'm sure the local free sheets would be willing to publish a rogue's gallery of CCTV stills where there was sufficient evidence, just like BTP do on twitter.

 

[Greenback]

Didn't I hear only the other day about a new addition to the statute book, to the effect that knowingly permitting a criminal act will now be an offence? In other words, if you're with someone who commits an offence and you don't try to prevent them then you're as guilty as they are.

I'm sure the local free sheets would be willing to publish a rogue's gallery of CCTV stills where there was sufficient evidence.

My point is this. Suppose a member of the public reports a damaged station toilet at 2130. CCTV checks show 30-40 different people entering and exiting, mostly as individuals, during the time since the toilet was inspected by a member of staff 10 hours earlier.

Which of those people vandalised the facilities? What time did the damage happen? How do we know?

 

[transmanche]

Didn't I hear only the other day about a new addition to the statute book, to the effect that knowingly permitting a criminal act will now be an offence? In other words, if you're with someone who commits an offence and you don't try to prevent them then you're as guilty as they are.

I think you might have got it the wrong way round. The discussion was about changing the existing doctrine of "joint enterprise".

 

[trainophile]

My point is this. Suppose a member of the public reports a damaged station toilet at 2130. CCTV checks show 30-40 different people entering and exiting, mostly as individuals, during the time since the toilet was inspected by a member of staff 10 hours earlier.

Which of those people vandalised the facilities? What time did the damage happen? How do we know?

Because it takes considerably longer to smash up a toilet than to use it for the purpose intended?

Seriously though, some posters on here make it sound like a daily occurrence. Surely most scumbags have more interesting things to do with their time .
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Sorry about all the edits - on phone and train a bit bouncy!

 

[Greenback]

Because it takes considerably longer to smash up a toilet than to use it for the purpose intended?

Seriously though, some posters on here make it sound like a daily occurrence. Surely most scumbags have more interesting things to do with their time .

Sorry about all the edits - on phone and train a bit bouncy!

No worries about the edits! Personally, I think that in some areas the amount of vandalism would be pretty low. Around here it would be pretty high, judging by the state of the phone boxes and bus shelters!

But CCTV is not going to prevent all damage, nor act as a deterrent to those intent on naughtiness, because it can't prove who did it unless they are caught on camera doing it!

 

[trainophile]

I think you might have got it the wrong way round. The discussion was about changing the existing doctrine of "joint enterprise".

Ah, I stand corrected. Thanks for the link, that was interesting.

 

[infobleep]

How about closing the stations in case they get vandalised.... Runs for cover at the stupid over the top suggestion.....

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[PermitToTravel]

Isn't that why FCC trains don't open their doors at Farringdon overnight? (they have to stop for a power supply changeover)

 

[A-driver]

Isn't that why FCC trains don't open their doors at Farringdon overnight? (they have to stop for a power supply changeover)

Not quite.

Farringdon is a tube station and so can only open when tube staff are there. As they are not there overnight FCC are not allowed to call there. Same with highbury and islington-during the tube strikes FCC were unable to call there when lul had no staff present-the FCC staff were kicked out of their office and had to retreat to Finsbury park.

 

[PermitToTravel]

I see, thanks

 

[infobleep]

Just got on a train at Clapham Junction bound for Sutton. Rather surprised to find it not only had toilets but power sockets under the tables in standard class. It's surely just a metro type service. It was a nice pleasant surprise.

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[Hyphen]

Because it takes considerably longer to smash up a toilet than to use it for the purpose intended?

Yes, but accusing somebody of smashing up the facilities based on length of time they were in there is equally as ridiculous.

If I'm not in a rush (and not on a train!) I like to play a crossword on my phone when I... 'sit down'. That takes me 7/8 minutes, then time spent 'finishing up'. Let's say I'm in there somewhere between 10-15 minutes.

After I leave, someone walks in with a sledgehammer in their rucksack (OK, I realise this may be approaching the realms of fantasy), smashes the sinks and a few other things, out in 2 minutes flat.

Should I then be the one the police look for because I took my time?

 

[trainophile]

I'm giggling and rather surprised that someone would choose to spend longer in a public loo than is absolutely necessary! Each to their own I suppose .

I've just visited the toilet on an ATW Sprinter, and found a blocked loo waiting to happen - so much paper has been rammed into the holder that it has become twisted and is impossible to pull out. There are brown paper towels over the sink... use your imagination . (No I didn't, but I always have a few tissues in my pockets!).

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Just got on a train at Clapham Junction bound for Sutton. Rather surprised to find it not only had toilets but power sockets under the tables in standard class.

Never seen a train with toilets under the tables in any class but I have had the misfortune to have been on one where someone had obviously thought there was a toilet under the table.

 

[sbt]

Some of the 'vandalism' may not be deliberate - there are people out there who seem to have no idea how to use a toilet. Someone at work is regularly blocking toilets with excessive amounts of paper and, given where I work and the people we employ, I cannot imagine that its being done deliberately - its just ignorance, laziness and, maybe, embarrassment. How hard its it to work out that if you need to use a lot of paper you use, flush, use and flush again, rather than piling it all in at once and then staring at a blocked loo?

However, living on a boat as I do maybe I am less embarrassed about and more immediately aware of waste disposal issues - we have a little tag line on my moorings 'Whenever two or more boaters gather together than they shall discuss Toilets'.

Oh, and I hate having no toilets on a train. I have long commute with a 1hr segment, due to a health issue no toilet can result in prolonged episodes of pain. I always go, if possible[1], before I get the train but thats no guarantee.

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[1] What is it with some Station Toilets? Woking Plt 2/4 Gents are regularly out of use - one working Gents urinal and one working Gents stall is not enough for a station that size. Plt 1 at Havant is regularly 'flooded'. Guildford, despite charging, is always grotty and grimy, with puddles on the floor, as hell. Finally West Byfleet no longer has any loos for the Able Bodied at all! (To be fair, for a long time West Byfleet had NO working loos, Disabled or otherwise)

 

[Qwerty133]

The disabled toilet on platforms 1/2 at leicester has been out of use since February IIRC.

 

[infobleep]

Oh, and I hate having no toilets on a train. I have long commute with a 1hr segment, due to a health issue no toilet can result in prolonged episodes of pain. I always go, if possible[1], before I get the train but thats no guarantee.

----

[1] What is it with some Station Toilets? Woking Plt 2/4 Gents are regularly out of use - one working Gents urinal and one working Gents stall is not enough for a station that size. Plt 1 at Havant is regularly 'flooded'. Guildford, despite charging, is always grotty and grimy, with puddles on the floor, as hell. Finally West Byfleet no longer has any loos for the Able Bodied at all! (To be fair, for a long time West Byfleet had NO working loos, Disabled or otherwise)

If you have health issues requiring more frequent access to loos or even sudden need to use the loo then get yourself a RADAR key or whatever it is called now - it may have name changed. It gives access to disabled loos and can be a god send. I speak from experience and I'm not disabled.

These toilets are not there solely for disabled people to use. Other people have legitimate needs to access them too.

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[PHILIPE]

According to FGW Journey Check, 16 42 Paddington to Great Malvern and
20 15 return today without toilets due to fault (Booked Turbo). Quite long distances to be without.

 

[fowler9]

Just want to give a special mention to Liverpool South Parkway here. A station spread over a large area. It has 22 trains an hour for large parts of the day and is also a bus terminal. It is a lovely place to use but for all the people that go through it has three toilets, not three blocks, just three toilets. And they are self cleaning ones so you can't just go straight in after someone else. 8 of those 22 trains an hour have no loo and of course none of the buses do. Slightly off subject but in the evening peak the other week they also had 1 bloke selling tickets and no ticket machines.

Only 4 platforms less than Lime Street plus a bus station but it has 3 bogs!

 

[trainophile]

^ That's one of the reasons I stopped using that route. Coming in from Southport and having already been an hour on a toilet-less train, often with only nine minutes connection time to get from one end of the station to the other, if the two toilets passed en route were engaged there was virtually no chance of a quick 'comfort stop' before boarding the next train. This being a London Midland, there was no certainty that the facilities on board would be working anyway.

The net result was that I usually left Southport 15 minutes earlier than I had to, solely to allow extra time to queue for the LPY bogs! Once I started getting the hourly bus from my flat to Southport station this became impractical time-wise so I revised my entire routing.

On one occasion last year, all three toilets there were out of use - I was informed that there had not been any rain to refill the tanks! Not good enough really is it?

 

[fowler9]

^ That's one of the reasons I stopped using that route. Coming in from Southport and having already been an hour on a toilet-less train, often with only nine minutes connection time to get from one end of the station to the other, if the two toilets passed en route were engaged there was virtually no chance of a quick 'comfort stop' before boarding the next train. This being a London Midland, there was no certainty that the facilities on board would be working anyway.

The net result was that I usually left Southport 15 minutes earlier than I had to, solely to allow extra time to queue for the LPY bogs! Once I started getting the hourly bus from my flat to Southport station this became impractical time-wise so I revised my entire routing.

On one occasion last year, all three toilets there were out of use - I was informed that there had not been any rain to refill the tanks! Not good enough really is it?

I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't serve more people per day than John Lennon airport but it only has 1 more bog than my house. It also normally has the same number of people selling tickets as my local station which has 18 trains per hour less for most of the day and no bus stop.

 

[tsr]

Just got on a train at Clapham Junction bound for Sutton. Rather surprised to find it not only had toilets but power sockets under the tables in standard class. It's surely just a metro type service. It was a nice pleasant surprise.

That sounds to me rather like you boarded a Class 377/6, and those trains are currently seeing most of their work on Southern Metro services. I must agree that the variety of facilities is pretty good, but more on that another time.

 

[SN319]

Southern have a scheme in place where on each toilet door there is a code. If there are any problems with the facility such as no paper of filthy then customers can email or call in quoting the code and the toilet will be seen to.