World Toilet Day: UK bus drivers demand toilet dignity

A new survey by Unite the union found over half of bus routes have no toilets on them

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 today (19 November). It looked at 420 routes operated by the following companies: 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.

"Unite will fight every step of the way to ensure that our members have toilet dignity in the workplace."

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."

Meanwhile, some drivers have even developed long term health problems or had them exacerbated due to being unable to use the toilet during the working day, with many saying they avoid drinking water to reduce the chance of needing the toilet during a shift.

Female drivers also have additional difficulties when it comes to toilet access while they are menstruating or going through the menopause, times where they will need the bathroom more frequently.

One female driver said: "I have polycystic ovary syndrome, which means my periods can be very heavy and painful and come without warning. Because of the lack of toilet access, there's been a few times where I've soiled myself with blood on the driver's seat and have had to call up my managers and explain. They have been good about it, but I feel embarrassed I am even in that situation.

"As a young female driver, I was shocked about the lack of the toilets when I first started driving. It just feels like there is a real lack of dignity and it's very regressive. You just don't expect these workplace issues to still exist."

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.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

Further case studies below

Male, Bristol

"I've had an operation which means I need to sit down to use the toilet and can't use urinals. In our canteen area, there's just four cubicles, two for men and two for women and you always have to queue for a long time. There is a disabled toilet in the building but it is often out of order. There just aren't enough toilets and our employer needs to put in more provisions for us.

"Sometimes I am doing a five-hour run where there are no toilets for me to go to on the route and I often don't have a break to go to the bathroom anyway. On days like this I avoid eating or drinking much. It was really difficult with the hot weather in the summer as I couldn't keep myself hydrated.

"There's generally not enough public toilets. Because of my disability, I have a radar key but there's still hardly anywhere for me to use that. Local authorities need to put more toilets in place."

 Female, Newcastle upon Tyne

"My previous job as a bus driver at Stagecoach directly impacted my health. Because I wasn't able to get off the bus and go to the toilet and there was a lack of toilets on the routes, I started to develop really bad urinary tract infections and had a loss of bladder control. I wet myself on the bus several times when I couldn't get off to go to the bathroom, which was embarrassing for me.

"Not being able to go to the toilet compounded the UTIs as the bacteria was staying in my bladder and spreading to my kidneys. It was extremely painful and the infections became recurrent. I have since had to have several operations and now have a stimulator controlled by a mobile phone to help my bladder issues.

"In a worse case scenario, male drivers can use a bottle to relieve themselves but women can't do that. When I was really desperate, I resorted to knocking on the doors of family homes to ask people if I could use the toilet. I know some female drivers who have gone behind bus stops. There's just no dignity there and it is dehumanising.

"The general public often don't realise the reality of the situation. When I've driven a bus but needed to stop it to go to the toilet I've had some passengers back me up but others have kicked off about it. They don't have a clue - they can go to the toilet as and when they please but for us drivers it is restricted.

"Bus companies need to take this situation more seriously. We need change now."

Male, Bristol

“I have diabetes and often will drink no water for my entire shift, which doesn't help my condition but I feel like I have no choice. There's just not enough toilets and big queues at the depots. You often have to walk a long way to get to toilets as well, which cuts into break times.

“Working nights is a real problem as there are even fewer toilets available and you don't want to finish late because you've been trying to find somewhere to go to the toilet.

“When I've held on for the toilet I've had urinary tract infections, which have in turn exacerbated my diabetes symptoms. I've then had to go to the doctor to get more medication and it feels like an endless cycle. I've now had to buy portable toilet equipment to use on the job.

Female, Bristol

“As a female driver it's especially difficult because we can't just stand there and wee, we have to find a private place to squat down and do it. I've had to have quite a few wees in a bush which isn't very dignified and I know of a lot of female colleagues who have had to do the same thing.

“I have endometriosis, so when I am on my period it is a massive struggle. I also have an overactive bladder so when I really need to go it causes me a lot of stress, as if I leave it too long it gets painful and hurts for a while after I use the loo. Sometimes I won't drink enough water while I am at work to try and avoid going and I end up with massive headaches.

“On certain routes I have some places I know of where I can pull over the bus and go, such as the park and ride or the local hospital. You do get a few passengers huffing and puffing, but you can't help it if you need the toilet.

“Recently, I started working night shifts and that is even worse when it comes to finding somewhere to go. When I've been doing the Saturday night going into Sunday morning routes nothing is open, which is usually when I've had to stop the bus and find a bush to go in.

“This all shouldn't be the case for myself and my colleagues, but I don't think the company cares about it at all. We only have one women's toilet at our depot so there's not enough provision.”