Train toilets empty on to tracks again

Rail bosses have blamed a supplier for forcing them to use toilets which drop waste on to the tracks.

Scotrail bosses say they needed to introduce some unrefurbished carriages on long-distance routes because of delays to the Intercity overhaul programme.

But unions hit out at the temporary move because some of the trains do not have tanks under the toilets to retain human waste.

Gordon Martin, regional organiser at rail union RMT Scotland, said: “This is unacceptable and puts the health and safety of our members at risk.

“This practice was ended for good reasons and I have minutes of a meeting with the then transport minister where he said that even a short re-introduction would be unacceptable.”

Scotrail said: “We are working flat out to get more upgraded trains into service as quickly as possible, but our supplier is behind schedule and has let us down.

“To ensure we can deliver services for our customers we will introduce classic (unrefurbished) high-speed trains until enough upgraded trains are available. “These classic trains will not have retention tanks.”