No on-board toilets for Metro trains

THE metro trains coming to the Valleys won’t have any toilets – even though passengers were told they would.

Earlier this year First Minister Mark Drakeford said that the new services will have “up-to-date” facilities including toilets.

But now it has been revealed that the South Wales Metro trains, which will run from Treherbert, Merthyr and Aberdare, will not actually have any toilets on board.

It comes after a plenary session earlier this year when former Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood AM asked Mr Drakeford whether the new trains promised for the Valleys Lines would have toilet facilities on board.

At the time Mr Drakeford said: “As far as I am aware, the new rolling stock that we are acquiring will have modern and upto-date facilities including toilets.”

Ms Wood’s office said that a few weeks later Mr Drakeford wrote to her stating they will not have toilets but instead “improved” toilet facilities at stations.

The letter stated: “This will result in a maximum journey time to a Universal Access Toilet of 14 minutes, with 95% of journeys being within 10 minutes.

“Furthermore, the last services each day will include provision for a break in service midpoint for passengers to use the facilities should they wish to.

“This would be advertised and be part of the formal service provision.”

A Transport for Wales spokesman said: “While it is not possible to include toilets on Metro vehicles, all other trains under development will feature on-board toilets.

“We will also be adding accessible toilets to stations, to ensure customers are never more than 14 minutes from facilities.”