Research by Unite the union has found over half of UK bus routes have no toilets available for drivers. Unite undertook the research to mark World Toilet Day by looking at 420 routes operated by FirstBus, Stagecoach, Arriva, Lothian Buses, National Express, Plymouth Buses, Translink, Coastliner and Go-Ahead.
It found that 222 out of the 420 routes did not have any toilets during the route. Meanwhile, 138 have no bathroom facilities at the end of the route and 77 don’t have any at the beginning. On 155 routes there were no procedures in place for drivers who needed to access toilets on route. This is despite the fact under UK employment law, employers must provide ‘adequate’ toilet facilities for everyone in the workplace, including those with disabilities.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:
“These findings show a complete failure when it comes to providing decent toilet facilities for bus drivers.
“It is outrageous that the majority of routes do not have toilets. The right to a toilet at work is a basic human one and should be a given for all workers. Bus companies know what they should be doing but are ignoring the welfare of their drivers.”
Toilet dignity is a major problem for bus drivers, with many saying they have been ‘caught short’ at work and have had to urinate in bottles, bags or in public, putting them at risk of disciplinary action. Others have said they have been on the receiving end of passenger aggression after stopping the bus to find a toilet.
One male driver said:
“Passengers can complain and get aggressive if you have to stop the bus and go to the toilet. It’s like people don’t understand that you’re not a robot but you’re human and have to do these things.
“The lack of toilets also puts drivers in potentially dangerous situations when they are desperate to go. One of my colleagues, a young female driver, had to pull over and knock on doors of homes and was let in by a man on his own. Luckily, it was OK in that instance but this could have been a different scenario.”
As part of its Toilet Dignity for All campaign, Unite is calling for:
- Access to clean lockable toilets for bus drivers at depots and on routes, with toilet roll provided
- Access to clean handwashing facilities including soap and hot and cold running water and toilets to include sanitary waste bins that are regularly cleaned and emptied
- Access to toilets for bus drivers, without them having to ask permission or having their toilet breaks recorded
- Support for bus drivers from their employer when they face abuse from passengers for taking toilet breaks.
On World Toilet Day, Unite will be meeting with MPs in Parliament to raise awareness of what bus drivers endure on a daily basis. Unite is also planning to launch a campaign on the issue in the coming weeks.
Unite national officer for passenger transport Wayne King said:
“For many of us, being able to use the toilet at work whenever we need to is something we take for granted, but this is not the case for bus drivers. It defies belief that bus drivers are putting themselves in embarrassing situations at work or risking their own health or safety because of a lack of toilets.
“Access to decent toilets is not just the law, it is a basic human right and Unite will work hard to ensure employers take this need seriously.”
(Picture: Yay Images)
