Strike threat over Legionella on trains

LEGIONELLA has been found in the lavatories of a number of Thameslink trains, leading to a rail union threatening strike action over the operator’s response.

The RMT union described Thameslink’s decision to drain and bleach seven toilets on four trains that tested positive as “half-hearted and inadequate”.

It has now called for talks with the operator’s management and is preparing its members for strike action.

Thameslink said “very low levels” of the bacteria had been found and the trains had been taken out of service while they were cleaned.

The bacteria can cause a potentially lethal lung infection, known as Legionnaires’ disease if droplets containing it are inhaled.

Thameslink said the removal of the trains, which are now back in service, had not affected its timetable, which is still running under capacity following the pandemic.

After the positive tests of the lavatories, Mick Lynch, the union’s general secretary, said: “RMT has been raising concerns for weeks now, and the latest cavalier approach from the company is pitifully inadequate and is an outright gamble with passenger and staff health.

“We have now declared a dispute and if we don’t get serious action we will ballot our [members].”

Responding to the comments, Thameslink said it is not uncommon for low levels of Legionella to exist in homes and offices as well as public places.

It said no traces of the bacteria, which is spread through the air, were found in its trains’ air conditioning systems.

Following the positive tests the facilities were “completely drained, bleached and refilled” before the trains were returned to service.

Rob Mullen, train services director at Thameslink, said: “A very low level of Legionella was found to be present during testing in a small number of our Thameslink Class 700 train toilets.”