TfL opens new accessible toilet at White Hart Lane London Overground station as next steps in ambitious toilets programme announced

Transport for London (TfL) has unveiled a new accessible customer toilet at White Hart Lane station, with Seven Sisters London Overground station to follow soon, following major transformation projects, as it sets out the next steps in its bold plan funded by the Mayor to improve and increase the number of accessible toilets on its network and help remove barriers to travel.

Last year TfL committed to introducing toilets at selected stations, increasing the number of accessible toilets, enhancing existing facilities and improving the availability of toilets, to ensure that customers are always within 20 minutes of a toilet without having to change train. Supported by the Mayor of London’s biggest ever investment in toilets on the public transport network, £3 million every year over five years, TfL is working to deliver new toilets and improvements and planning the next stations in the pipeline. The programme is part of TfL's customer inclusion strategy, Equity in Motion, which includes more than 80 actions to make London's transport network fairer and more accessible and inclusive.

A new toilet has opened at White Hart Lane station after extensive works to convert a disused space into a new, accessible facility, including the levelling of the floor between the platform and the toilet to ensure the facility is accessible for wheelchair users. The new toilet bridges a gap in provision between Cheshunt and Bush Hill Park stations to the north on the London Overground Weaver line, and Hackney Downs station to the south. A new accessible toilet will also open shortly at Seven Sisters station, with the conversion of existing facilities to make them accessible to all.

After shortlisting stations for new toilets and carrying out a series of feasibility work at each station, TfL has also confirmed that new facilities will be installed at Amersham, Clapton and Morden stations by the end of the year or early next year. The toilets at Amersham and Morden will provide much-needed accessible facilities at the end of the respective Metropolitan and Northern lines. 

Work on refurbishments, involving repainting, re-tiling and the replacement of fixtures including toilets and sinks will also take place at up to 12 facilities across the TfL network this year, including Canary Wharf, South Woodford and Wembley Central, to create a more pleasant environment for customers. Several more facilities will benefit from new LED lighting. TfL is also looking to increase and improve toilet provision at bus stations and has now completed an audit to determine the most appropriate locations for new toilets, conversions to accessible facilities and mid-life refurbishment. TfL will share the audit results in due course.

Deputy Mayor for Transport, Seb Dance, said: "Toilet provision is critical for many Londoners and visitors, and can even determine whether somebody travels on public transport at all. That’s why it’s great news this new toilet at White Hart Lane is now open, with Seven Sisters and more to come.

“The Mayor and I are committed to making our transport network as accessible as possible, and we’re investing £3 million every year over five years to improve and increase the number of accessible toilets on the network, the largest investment in toilets the network has ever seen. It’s all part of our plan to continue building a better, fairer London for everyone."

Trish Ashton, Director of Rail and Sponsored Services for TfL, said: “We know that a lack of nearby toilets can be a deal breaker for many people when it comes to travel, and that can have a devastating impact on their personal and professional lives and their wellbeing. It’s so important that people feel confident that they can access a toilet when they need one, and with sustained funding from the Mayor, we’re pleased to be driving forward our plan to increase and improve toilet provision. While we install accessible toilets at stations like Seven Sisters and White Hart Lane and upgrade the facilities we already have, we’re also doing all we can to increase and improve accessible toilet provision further, to help make our network as inclusive and accessible as possible.”

John McGeachy, Campaigns Manager, Age UK London: “Accessible transport can change lives and good toilet provision is a crucial part of accessibility. Better access to accessible toilets will make journeys easier and more comfortable for Londoners. For some, it may even mean that certain journeys are made for the first time. I'm delighted that new accessible toilets are opening at Seven Sisters and White Hart Lane stations, and it looks like there has been a very welcome to start the five-year plan to improve provision on the TfL network. We hope that this momentum is built upon and look forward to the next group of new and refurbished toilets opening. It's also important that as many transport users as possible are aware of toilets on the network."

There are currently toilets available at 146 TfL sites, with an additional 40 toilets within stations on the network that are not managed by TfL. A handy Toilet Tube Map is available, which shows all the toilet facilities across the TfL network, including baby changing facilities and those that are wheelchair accessible. Information on toilets is also available on the free TfL Go app.

Staff are on hand in stations to advise customers of the nearest public and accessible toilets where there are currently no available facilities at the station. They can grant access to accessible toilets that may require a RADAR key. Disabled people can also request a universal key, known as a RADAR key, from Disability Rights UK.