YEP Says: 40p to answer a call of nature? Sounds a lot to us

rail passengers have had a rough time over this last few days. Fares are rising sharply and now, we learn, rail users in Leeds have paid more than a quarter of a million pounds at the city's station over the last 12 months simply to use the toilets.
Leeds City Station, where visitors paid a total of £251,270 to use toilet facilities in 2015/16.Leeds City Station, where visitors paid a total of £251,270 to use toilet facilities in 2015/16.
Leeds City Station, where visitors paid a total of £251,270 to use toilet facilities in 2015/16.

That’s a staggering amount of money for people who have no realistic alternative but to use the official facilities.

It contributed towards a total income of £5.46m from 12 of Network Rail’s stations, including Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Piccadilly and Edinburgh Waverley.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It may come as a surprise to those of you who rarely venture into Leeds station to discover that spending a penny costs, in fact, 40p.

It generates an average of £688 per day in the process.

The majority of its stations only charge 30p, although all toilets at Birmingham New Street are now free to use.

It means Leeds has the joint second highest charge alongside Glasgow Central.

We understand the station needs to balance its books. But when passengers are already being hit by ever-rising fares, 40p for a call of nature seems steep.

Passengers dislike having to pay to use toilets at stations, particularly when they have forked out on a train ticket. Let’s hope that at least the revenue helps to improve facilities.