British train drivers' union Aslef has put the rail industry on notice, warning of potential strike action over operators' failure to provide adequate toilet facilities and reduce maximum driving times without breaks.
The union said basic welfare needs remain unaddressed across the rail network despite commitments made a year ago following instructions from the rail regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.
A 2024 survey by Aslef revealed that many drivers lacked access to operational toilets, forcing some to urinate in bottles or defecate inside train cabs.
This raised significant safety concerns as dehydrated drivers attempted to avoid bathroom breaks.
Last summer, train operators signed a safety board welfare charter mandating safe, clean, and accessible toilets, alongside a four-hour maximum limit in the driving seat without toilet access.
Implementation has stalled across the network, according to the union.
In its July report, the Office of Rail and Road stated that despite initial sign-ups to the charter, progress was uneven due to barriers surrounding coordination and shared facility access.
"We need action, not broken promises, to improve toilet facilities for drivers and to reduce the time drivers are expected to go without being able to take a toilet break," said Dave Calfe, General Secretary of Aslef.
The union noted that lack of adequate facilities particularly affected female drivers and hindered efforts to recruit women into the cab.
Long shifts without breaks were linked to conditions like deep vein thrombosis, bladder issues, and cancer.
"The health and wellbeing of our members is not a price we are prepared to pay for the inaction of the industry," said Dave Calfe.
In a July 2025 letter, HM Chief Inspector of Railways Richard Hines previously reminded operators that reliable welfare facilities are a basic requirement of human dignity, health, and safety.
"That's why we are calling them out publicly and telling them – in no uncertain terms – that it is time for them to deliver, to do what they promised," said Dave Calfe.
The union emphasized that the four-hour driving limit demand would help protect drivers from severe medical complications stemming from prolonged lack of bathroom access.
"And, if they don't, there will be consequences," said Dave Calfe.
Strike Ballots Underway
The warning comes as strike ballots are already under way for drivers at LNER and Avanti, while RMT members at East Midlands Railway prepare to strike on August 1 over train design issues.
"Twenty months after we exposed this scandal, and a year after the train companies promised to do the right thing, drivers are still paying with their health for industry inaction," said Dave Calfe.
Trade union Unite has mounted a parallel campaign for bus and lorry drivers, reporting that bus drivers are forced to use bottles due to inadequate route facilities, creating severe safety risks during warm weather.
"We are putting the rail industry on notice that we have had enough of their excuses," said Dave Calfe.
Unite national transport officer Wayne King cited severe impacts on female drivers during menstruation and menopause, while road transport officer Adrian Jones called for mandatory access at delivery points and roadside service areas.
"There are still nowhere enough toilets available for bus drivers," said Wayne King, National Officer for Passenger Transport at Unite.
King emphasized that employers were failing in their legal responsibility to provide basic sanitation for transport workers.
"It's the employer's responsibility and they're failing miserably," said Wayne King.
Unite emphasized that driver dehydration during hot weather directly poses a potential serious safety risk to the public and staff.
"Drivers are using bottles as toilets, women are using she-pees with bottles," said Wayne King.
The transport union added that these working conditions cause long-term harm to employees with underlying health conditions.
"This has a dramatic impact on women during menstruation and menopause and members with underlying health conditions," said Wayne King.
Unite warned that inadequate facilities jeopardize driver health and passenger safety simultaneously across public transit routes.
"During hot weather, drivers are not hydrating properly because they know there's no toilets available on routes," said Wayne King.
The union reiterated that working without access to basic facilities is an unacceptable operational risk.
"This is a potential serious safety risk on multiple levels and can lead to the development of serious health conditions," said Wayne King.
Unite's road transport division pointed out that lorry drivers continue to face systematic denial of bathroom access at delivery points across the country.
"Despite repeated promises by government and employers, there has been no real improvement in availability of toilets for lorry drivers," said Adrian Jones, National Officer for Road Transport at Unite.
The union called for immediate structural changes to transport infrastructure to guarantee dignified rest stops.
"We need better access at delivery collection points, better and more roadside facilities and value for money at motorway service areas," said Adrian Jones.
A Department for Transport spokesperson stated that train operators are legally required to provide suitable facilities and that welfare issues will be addressed as the network transitions toward Great British Railways.
"Train operators are legally required to provide suitable toilet facilities for their staff, and we expect them to meet these obligations," said a Spokesperson, Department for Transport.
The government department urged transport companies to collaborate to maintain facility standards across the network.
"We strongly encourage industry to work together to ensure access to these facilities, and these kinds of welfare issues will be considered as we move towards Great British Railways," said a Spokesperson, Department for Transport.
