Charity urges ScotRail to stop penny-pinching and reverse toilet cuts

Age Scotland has urged ScotRail to reverse cuts to public toilet facilities, as they are a significant barrier to travel by older people and those with disabilities.

The charity criticised the rail operators’ cost-cutting measures after it was accused of cutting back on essentials such as toilet paper and soap at station facilities. Internal emails revealed this week that ScotRail staff have had to resort to "begging messages" to colleagues due to the operator restricting station supply orders.

This follows ScotRail’s decision in the summer to charge for toilet access at Glasgow Queen Street, Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William stations.

The charity said a lack of free, sanitary toilets prevented tens of thousands of older people from traveling, contributing to loneliness and isolation. Its research found that more than a third of older people in Scotland would use public transport more often if access to toilets was easier.

Brian Sloan, Age Scotland’s Chief Executive, wrote to ScotRail expressing concern about toilet charges in August, but the rail operator has refused to reverse its decision.

Mr Sloan said: “We are extremely disappointed by ScotRail’s lack of consideration for older passengers and those with medical conditions, who are more likely to need access to toilets while traveling.

“Now it’s concerning to see that even when toilet facilities are still free, they may not be safe or sanitary due to cost-cutting. This could be a first step to closing these completely.

“After speaking to hundreds of older people across Scotland, we found that a lack of toilets is often a significant barrier to using public transport. This not only makes it harder for them to access everything from shops to medical appointments, but also contributes to loneliness and isolation.

“With millions of pounds of tax-payer subsidies and sky-high ticket prices, it beggars belief that ScotRail cannot afford to buy basics such as soap and paper towels.

“We would urge ScotRail to reconsider this penny-pinching and provide all passengers with free, hygienic, and accessible facilities throughout its network.”

On August 26, in a response to Mr Sloan’s earlier letter, ScotRail’s Head of Customer Operations wrote that removing charges was “not a viable option” although the majority of facilities were free. He wrote: “However, the cost for operating toilets within our stations rises each year with costs of cleaning supplies, and staffing costs rising with inflation. These rising costs have resulted in an increase in charge for the facility.”